Nov 30 (GDI) Deputy Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena said that since the establishment of the Board of Investment Sri Lanka in 1978, the country has received 7,750 million U.S.Dollars of foreign investments and out of this amount 5,026 Million U.S.dollar investments have been received between 2006 to 3rd quarter of 2012, which cover the period of Mahinda Rajapaksa Presidency. He said that this represent a 64% increase in foreign investments. more..

Nov 30 (AAP) Almost 600 asylum seekers have now been returned to Sri Lanka against their will, Immigration Minister Chris Bowen says. A group of 50 Sri Lankan men were sent from Darwin to Colombo on Friday, boosting the number "involuntarily" returned home to 593 since Aug 13, when the govt restored offshore processing. "The group was made up of single adult men - all recent arrivals from different boats," more..

Nov 30 (DM) The Deputy Commissioner of Inland revenue Department in Anuradhapura was arrested by the Bribery Commission officers while she was allegedly accepting Rs. 500,000 as a bribe today, an official said. A spokesman said that the deputy Commissioner, who is a lady, had initially demanded one million rupees from a businessman in order to reduce the tax payment of 9.5 million rupees to Rs. 3.5 million. The businessman had reduced the bribe amount to Rs. 500,000. more..

Nov 30 (CI) Rangana Herath is doing his best to fill Sri Lanka's Murali-shaped void, and reaped Murali-like figures in this series to prove it. He bagged three five-wicket hauls in four innings, and made New Zealand look like school cricketers on a helpful track in Galle. At times he seemed like the only Sri Lanka bowler who could get a wicket, and he bore that pressure well. He has moved up to second place on the world Test bowler's rankings as a result of his returns in the series. more..

Nov 30 (AP) Hundreds of taxi drivers drove across Sri Lanka’s capital Friday, demanding that the country’s chief justice step down while parliament considers an impeachment bid against her. About 500 drivers joined the protest, driving their three-wheel vehicles displaying banners that said “Shame - Madam Excellency” across the main roads in Colombo and highlighting the deepening conflict between the parliament more..

Nov 30 (Island) The rebel UNP faction led by deputy party leader Sajith Premadasa would oppose any move to pave the way for incumbent leader Ranil Wickremesinghe to continue as the party leader for six years, a senior spokesman for the group said. Meanwhile, UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake said that 5,800 members of the party had been invited for the 54th Convention, scheduled to be held on December 1 at Sirikotha. Attanayake said that only those invited for the more..

Nov 30 (DM) Parliament sittings were suspended for ten minutes a short while ago after a tense situation arose as UNP MP Ajith P. Perera was ordered to be sent out of the Chamber. Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa today removed ruling party MP A.H.M. Azwer from the chairman panel after examining an incident in which he ordered UNP MP Ajith P. Perera out of the chamber. The chairman panel comprises members from the political divide of the House. They preside over the House in the absence of more..

Nov 30 (CT) A policy document with regard to the welfare and health benefits of migrant workers was launched by the Health Ministry yesterday. The policy was formulated to provide adequate health benefits to migrant workers who bring US$ 5 billion in foreign exchange annually to the country. Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena, commenting on the new health policy said, as the migrant workers play a major role in bring in more..

Nov 30 (CT) The Sri Lanka Customs (SLC) last week busted an attempt by an export company to smuggle out a pair of butterfly fish Chaetodon madagascariensis, along with its regular consignment. Deputy Director of the SLC Biodiversity and Protection Unit, Samantha Gunasekera, said the butterfly fish were concealed among the regular shipment. “The export company didn’t have a permit for the export of the Chaetodon madagascariensis,” Gunasekera added. more..

Nov 30 (LT) Mahinda Rajapaksa govt maddened with power is moving on a dictatorial path making contradictory statements says the General Secretary of the JVP Tilvin Silva. Speaking at a media conference today he said, “The govt that is maddened with power is making contradictory statements. It is moving towards a dictatorship in which power is centralized in one family. When a MP speaks regarding a case being heard in a court the Speaker says not to speak on cases that are more..

Nov 30 (CI) Even before Mahela Jayawardene admitted Sri Lanka were the less happy side with a 1-1 result in the Test series their dismay was obvious, and perhaps justified, given the context. The last time New Zealand visited, the hosts recorded two crushing wins. They had Muttiah Muralitharan in their ranks then, but this New Zealand side arrived had arrived in Sri Lanka with a significantly poorer reputation. more..

Nov 30 (DM) Indian Fishermen's associations today said Sri Lanka has assured them that five Indian fishermen, arrested and lodged in jails there last year on charges of drug smuggling, would be released on humanitarian grounds. Emerite, president of fishemen organization here, Devadoss, mechanised boats secretary and Jasuraj, president of Tamil Nadu fishermen's organization, told reporters they had met minister Basil Rajapaksa and and urged him to more..

Nov 30 (CT) Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa briefed the media at the Department of Govt Information yesterday on the decisions taken by the Cabinet of Ministers at its weekly meeting held on 28 November. On a proposal made by Health Minister, Maithripala Sirisena, Cabinet approval was granted to incorporate necessary provisions to the Private Medical Institutions (Registration) Act, No. 21 of 2006, so as to regulate the activities of the Health Laboratory Services in the country. more..

Nov 30 (LBO) Consumer prices in Colombo rose 9.5% in November 2012 from a year earlier, accelerating from 8.9% a month earlier, data from the state statistics office showed. The Colombo Consumer Price Index rose 1.3% to 167.1 points during the month, with the food component in the index suddenly rising 2.4%. The index which rose to 166.7 points in July following a sharp depreciation of the currency fell in more..