Nov 26 (ST) Prime Minister D.M.Jayaratne is to be relieved from the Budda Sasana Ministry by next month, sources from his office said. Mr Jayaratne who is receiving treatment in the US is due to return on Friday to the country. With the end of the budget debate the Ministry post is due to be taken over while regarding the premier post a decision is due to be taken later. Sources said that in the event if Mr. Jayaratna is removed from the Prime Ministerial post, he is still likely to be retained in the cabinet.

Nov 26 (ST) The Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CB) has published the third edition of “A Step by Step Guide to Doing Business in Sri Lanka”. The CB said the booklet contains all relevant information on the regulation for starting and operating a business enterprise in Sri Lanka. The necessary amendments proposed by the relevant institutions up to October 2012 have been incorporated into this booklet. “The information contained in this publication has been incorporated into this booklet. more..

Nov 26 (ST) The body of a young Sri Lankan woman who died while trying to save an Arab toddler from drowning at Fujairah in the UAE earlier this month continues to remain in a morgue in that country as officials sort out bureaucratic procedures, a senior official with the SLFEB said. 20-year-old Lakmali Priyankika, a resident from Katuwapitiya in Negombo died along with another young Somali woman when the pair more..

Nov 26 (CT) When all else fails, seek divine assistance. And this is exactly what a group of UNPers in Anamaduwa and Wanathavilluwa did when they dashed coconuts and invoked the blessings of God Aiyanayake to oust Ranil Wickremesinghe from his position as Party Leader and the Leader of the Opposition. The event, organized by former UNP Provincial Councillors, organizers and Pradeshiya Sabha members, also saw the members beseeching God more..

Nov 26 (CT) The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation National Workers Union alleged that the tug boats leased at a cost of US $ two million annually, for use at the Muturajawela oil storage facility, operating under the Ceylon Petroleum Storage Terminals Limited (CPSTL), are idling. The union further pointed out these tug boats have been berthed at the Uswetakeiyawa sea area to assist the operations of ships transporting refined petroleum. However, they claim all the refined petroleum. more..

Nov 26 (CT) The opposition today questioned as to why the purchase of a property in New York City was not included in the Annual Report of the Central Bank. UNP MP Eran Wickremaratne posing a supplementary question during the Oral Question session in Parliament sought an explanation from Deputy Minister of Finance Dr. Sarath Amunugama in this regard. Dr. Amunugama in response said more..

Nov 26 (NF) Private bus workers on the 255 Kottawa-Mount Lavinia and 174 Kottawa-Borella have launched a strike action. Chairman of the Lanka Private Bus Owners' Association, Gemunu Wijeratne stated that the strike action has been launched in protest over the ad-hoc issuance of route permits. "Workers on the 255 Kottawa-Mount Lavinia and 174 Kottawa-Borella bus routes kept away from work this morning. The main reason is because the Western Province Transport more..

Nov 26 (AD) A former member of the Meegahakivula Pradeshiya Sabha has been arrested while attempting to sell a priceless Buddha statue believed to be around 1,300 years old and of immense archaeological value. Ratnayake Mudiyanselage Kumaradasa, 55, had reportedly purchased the marble statue, weighing 14 kilograms and 18 inches tall, for Rs. 400,000 and was preparing to sell it for Rs. 700,000 when he was arrested by undercover police officers in Hasalaka last night. more..

Nov 26 (DN) Several organisations in the forefront of the anti-tobacco campaign in the country,welcomed the Health Ministry decision to include pictorial health warnings on cigarette packets. They said this will significantly help make the public aware about the sickness and suffering caused by tobacco use which in turn will contribute to reducing the number of people who begin smoking and increase the number of more..

Nov 27 (DBS) Returning home is never an easy task in the Vanni. After years of being caught in the cross-fire, hiding little children from Tiger press-gangs, running away from rampaging soldiers, having the entirety of several districts emptied of people, and living in camps, there was finally hope of a new life. People are slowly beginning to rebuild their lives through the help of NGOs and the government and, most of all, by their own sheer will. These farmers restarting life in their ramshackle shells is more..

Nov 27 (DBS) The Lalith Athulathmudali memorial oration was delivered by a distinguished Sri Lankan legal luminary C.G.Weeramantry last Thursday. The event was organised by the Institute for Democracy and Leadership headed by Ravi Karunanayake and sponsored by the Fredreich Naumann Foundation which is affiliated to the German Liberal Party. It was Judge Weeramantry who headed the team that drafted the Bangalore Principles of Judicial Conduct which were extensively quoted more..

Nov 27 (SO) Combating bribery and corruption which is rampant in the Sri Lankan society at present is vested with the Commission to Investigate the Allegations of Bribery or corruption. With the enactment of the Bribery Commission Act in 1994, so far five Commissions have been appointed for the task and they continue the process of investigating cases of bribery or corruption to fulfil the task of creating a country free of bribery more..

Nov 27 (CT) Even the fractious Syrian opposition has finally got its act together. At a recent meeting in Dohar military leaders of ground forces and mostly exiled political leaders (Syrian National Council) formed a unified assembly which was promptly recognised by the Arab League and will probably get arms and a no-fly zone enforced by Turkey and the West. Things could still fall apart, but a huge first step has been taken. Over here however, a testy opposition, facing the Rajapakse juggernaut more..

Nov 27 (CT) The Parliamentary Select Committee‘s inquiry has raised the issue of the politicians being judges. Some have even said that the politicians have a better right to judge because they are elected representatives of the people whereas the judges are not. The people elect their representatives for particular purposes. By the very nature of judging guilt and innocence that is not a matter that would depend on people’s consent even if a hundred percent of the electors declared a more..

Nov 27 (CI) In 2002, Wisden named Muttiah Muralitharan the greatest bowler of all time - ahead of Shane Warne, Sydney Barnes, Wasim Akram and even Malcolm Marshall. The second name on that list helped explain why Murali was valued so highly. Like Murali, Richard Hadlee felt his team's burden more heavily than most other great bowlers. Both men, and Murali in particular, some would say have their records demeaned by more..

Nov 27 (SL) When the subject of abuse of science and technology comes up in discussions, our mind goes back to the tragic occurrences in Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Chernobyl, Fukushima and other places of human tragedy around the world. When reference is made to the abuse of science and technology in Sri Lanka our minds go to much more mundane occurrences such as: weddings in five star hotels, TV ‘teledramas’, talk shows late into the night, ‘music’ blasted on radio and TV and even to more..

Nov 27 (DN) The Jeyaraj Fernandopulle Memorial Library constructed at a cost of Rs. 48 million will be declared open at 3 pm today by Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa at the Seeduwa Municipal Council Ground. ‘Minister Basil Rajapaksa and Minister Wimal Weerawansa will attend the opening ceremony. A media release from the Ministry of Construction states that Asian Development Bank has provided Rs. 27 million and the Urban Council Rs. 21 million for the project. more..

Nov 27 (SO) The three-month Vassana period ended on Vap Full Moon Poya Day. Bhikkhus who were in their temples during the rainy season have started their daily activities. According to the Roman calendar, the Il Full Moon Poya falls on November 27. The annual Katina Pinkams are also conducted at temples during the period between Vap Full Moon Poya and Il Full Moon Poya. Accordingly, no temples conduct Katina more..

Nov 27 (Island) Hardly a day passes without the govt screaming from the rooftops that a plot is being hatched to bring it down. It has been conjuring up many a bogey and doing a great deal of tilting at windmills. If a govt politician ever so much as has a bad stomach, he promptly blames it on a conspiracy and declares war on an unnamed enemy. Conspiracies, more perceived than real, however keep the government going. There's a sucker born every minute, as legendary American more..

Nov 27 (DM) The 19th century printing press which belongs to the Ranwella Purana Viharaya in Kataluwa, has been badly damaged in a fire. The loss to the country’s cultural heritage thereby is immeasurable. For anyone doubting that statement, this German-made Gutenberg-type printing press was used to produce Lankalokaya, one of the pioneer Sinhala journals. The money to buy it came chiefly from a donation by the Crown Prince (or King) of Thailand, who also donated a more..

Nov 27 (SL) While we write these comments the constitutional crisis is by no means over. We will not dwell on legal compulsions following the ‘due processes of the law’ or the great political visions of our time. The Law has been there for donkeys’ years and that is why, at times, we say the Law is an Ass. There are the various ‘Chinthanas’ of political visionaries of mind-boggling proportions from the time of Attila the Hun to contemporary times. We will refer only to the ‘Chinthanas’ of more..

Nov 27 (Hindu) Tamil Nadu Youth Congress President M Yuvaraja on Monday assured the family members of five Thangachimadam fishermen, who were languishing in Vellikadai prison in Sri Lanka that he would take up the issue with Youth Congress President Rahul Gandhi and arrange to secure their early release. The fishermen _ Emerson (30), Wilson (42), Agustus (33), Langlet (20) and Prasath (35) _ were held by the Lankan Navy and later arrested by the Lankan Police on charges more..

Nov 27 (FT) The procedure set out in Standing Order 78A for the removal of a judge of the superior courts is intrinsically legally flawed, unashamedly obnoxious, unconstitutional, and ultra vires the powers of the Select Committee, lawyers for petitioner Chandra Jayaratne said in their written submissions to the Supreme Court yesterday. In their submissions to the Supreme Court, lawyers for the petitioner said that Articles 107 (2) and more..

Nov 27 (Island) As Lanka-Japan bilateral trade crossed the huge $ 1.2 Bn mark in 2011, the country is inviting top league Japanese private investments for ‘strong win-win partnerships’, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce announced. "As our bilateral trade grows with $ 1.2Bn trade and historic relations are further strengthened, I invite you, the prospective and high level Japanese investors here today, to invest in Sri Lanka for win-win partnerships and also to gain immediate access more..

Nov 27 (LBO) A new kink has developed in Sri Lanka's govt bond yield curve with the five year bond rates falling below the four and six year yields during November, dealers said. Sri Lanka's 4-year bond maturing on August 1, 2016 are quoted around 12.60/80% in the secondary markets but the five year bond yields lower at around 12.38/45%. But the 6-year bond is again quoted higher to yield around 12.90/13%. Dealers say some foreign buyers may be collecting the specific 5-year maturity. more..

Nov 27 (SL) This is the problem we face today. Here we are, debating about a budget. But regarding the two provisions which I mentioned above, even the Supreme Court itself has ruled that it is contrary to the Constitution. So I wonder, are we discussing about a bill which is contrary to our own constitution? Therefore there is a need to know whether this debate is fruitful at all. We have continuously requested to establish a more..

Nov 27 (CI) On a surface that even New Zealand's tail made seem friendly, three of Sri Lanka's big four batsmen could not manage better than single figures, and Kane Williamson said the value of those wickets could not be understated, given the pitch remained good for batting. New Zealand amassed 412 on the P Sara surface, thanks in the main to a 262-run partnership between Ross Taylor and Williamson, which was almost chanceless beyond the first hour of their union. In reply, however, more..

Nov 27 (DN) The new Cuban Ambassador to Sri Lanka Indira Lopez said Cuba highly appreciated the special role played by President Rajapaksa to strengthen friendship and co-operation between Sri Lanka and Cuba. She said this when she called on Minister Wimal Weerawansa for discussions at his Ministry office on Nov 22. Mrs Lopez said ‘Sri Lanka always came forward to assist and support Cuba in times of need. We are extremely thankful for the friendship and support extended by more..

Nov 27 (CT) The Ministry of National Languages and Social Integration is to set up a special hotline, 1956, which will come into effect on 28 November, to deal with language-related issues. The hotline will enable the people to inform the ministry the inconveniences they face due to language problems, Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara said. “Those who encounter situations where they are unable to obtain services of more..

Nov 27 (FT) Global brand Mothercare yesterday opened its first store as well as the affiliated brand Early Learning Centre in Sri Lanka at No. 7, R.A. De Mel Mawatha, Colombo, with Softlogic Holdings as the franchise partner. Softlogic Holdings Chairman Ashok Pathirage said the company was proud and privileged to partner with Mothercare and to open the first store in Sri Lanka, which he described as “fabulous”. “Mothercare is a fantastic brand and its launch in Sri Lanka with Softlogic is an more..

Nov 27 (ET) Rajya Sabha MP Ram Jetmalani today questioned the stand of the then Prime MinisterRajiv Gandhi government's stand on slain LTTE chief V Prabhakaran in 1980s. Jetmalani said he was yet to understand the "behaviour" of Gandhi who had invited Prabhakaran as a govt guest in Delhi and the Indian Army was sent to the island nation thereafter to shoot persons fighting for the Tamil cause. "That is the deception that took place, that after having invited him (Prabhakaran) and providing more..

Nov 27 (DM) The cash-strapped budget airline ‘Mihin Lanka’ has suffered a loss of two billion rupees during this financial year alone and an accumulated loss of a staggering Rs.8.5 billion since its inception in 2007, the Auditor General (AG) reveals. The COPE discussed the AG’s report on Mihin Lanka yesterday. The AG has observed that although the Company is running at a continuous loss, the annual remunerations paid to more..

Nov 27 (Island) Improving policy consistency, rule of law and labour skills are crucial to take Sri Lanka’s economy to the next level while the military needed to distance itself from the business environment. Panellists at the annual national conference organised by the Institute of Policy Studies to mark its flagship publication ‘State of Economy’ highlighted several key areas which needed development, focusing mainly on labour issues. They cited security on property rights, more..

Nov 27 (FT) The Lawyers for Democracy (LfD) is urging the Parliament and the Executive to respect the Judiciary in addition to recommending these two bodies follow the Supreme Court recommendation with regard to the motion to impeach the Chief Justice. The LfD statement issued yesterday is as follows: The Supreme Court (SC) is now possessed with several cases where the Court is constitutionally bound to interpret the Constitution and to determine the constitutionality more..

Nov 27 (CI) Sri Lanka may have lost three of the four most prolific batsmen in their side on the second evening at the P Sara, but Rangana Herath says Sri Lanka will give little thought to avoiding the follow on. New Zealand made 412 in their first innings, with Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson both making hundreds, but Tillakaratne Dilshan, Sangakkara and Mahela could only manage nine among the three of them. more..

Nov 27 (MM) Congress's Gujarat unit was at the centre of a row on Monday over a picture it used for a poll advertisement on malnutrition in the state amid allegations it was 'lifted' from a website of a Christian organization depicting a Sri Lankan child. Gujarat Congress party's "Join hands for change" advertisements which appeared in some newspapers and posted on its website claims that 45 per cent of children in the state were malnourished. A photograph in the ad also more..

Nov 27 (CT) The Police raided yet another financial institution last week, suspected of using pirated and unlicensed software, in an effort to stop the indiscriminate use of pirated software. During the raid conducted on 16 Nov in Colombo, the third such raid so far this year, over 50 computers installed with suspected pirated software, were seized upon inspection and the identification of suspected pirated software. All confiscated items were transferred for further inspection and are to be produced in more..

Nov 27 (Island) A senior prison official scotched rumours that a section of the Welikada prisons was haunted. He said that there was no truth in the story that there were ghosts in a particular area of the prisons He added that it was a rumour spread by some prison officers and detainees. "It has been spread by a few persons with vested interests to deter others visiting the area as there were nefarious activities taking place there," more..

Nov 27 (Island) The Cosmetics, Devices and Drugs Authority (CDDA) would continue to raid pharmacies to check whether any of them were still selling the banned cough syrup ‘Corex-D’. The Health Ministry early last month banned the sale of ‘Corex-D’ following the death of seven persons who had drunk it as an intoxicant. The spokesman for the Health Ministry said yesterday that the Cosmetics, Devices and Drugs Authority had received several complaints against a number of more..