Aug 4 (SL) The Department of Elections says it will require another Rs 20 million to cover expenses for international election monitors at the Provincial Council elections next month. Additional Commissioner of Elections R.M.A.L Ratnayake said that the Rs 20 million will be in addition to the Rs 1500 Million required to conduct the elections in the Northern, Central and North Western Provinces. Ratnayake said that 11 international election monitors will be invited by more..

Aug 4 (SL) The govt says there will be no restrictions placed on the movements of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay during her visit to Sri Lanka at the end of this month. Former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka said that he hopes to meet Pillay and discuss several issues with her during her visit. Fonseka said that among the issues he hopes to bring to her notice is the lack of democracy and justice in Sri Lanka and, what he claims, was injustice faced by him more..

Aug 4 (Island) Amidst growing fears of DCD (Dicyandiamide) contamination in imported milk powder triggering panic in the market and throttling sales, two key govt institutions firmly defended their respective diametrically opposed stance on the safety of this vital food commodity. While the Industrial Technology Institute (ITI), Sri Lanka’s pioneer Scientific Research and Development organization, stood its ground and reasserted more..

Aug 4 (SL) President Rajapaksa’s latest tactic of trying to checkmate the public suffered a great setback following the mayhem in Weliweriya, Gampaha last Thursday. The video footage of the incident that has been uploaded on to many websites (unedited) will not stand well for a military that is being accused by the international community of violating human rights during the period of the war. Until the Weliweriya incident where the attack by military personnel resulted in more..

Aug 4 (ST) The first-ever overseas exam of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka (CA Sri Lanka) which was conducted in Qatar recently concluded successfully with an impressive number of CA Sri Lanka students working in Qatar participating in the Strategic Level exams. The exams was conducted in the strictest of standards under the strict supervision of a team of CA Sri Lanka exams supervisors led by a specially appointed overseas exam supervisor, more..

Aug 4 (ST) Australian casino mogul James Packer’s Sri Lankan partner has been asked to shift the location of the proposed resort and gaming centre from the car park in front of Lake House in Colombo Fort, to another property along D.R. Wijewardene Mawatha. The land currently earmarked for the building is on the corner of D.R. Wijewardene Mawatha and Chittampalam A Gardiner Mawatha. more..

Aug 4 (CT) An independent candidate at the Northern Provincial Council polls, S. Ramachandran, was found dead near a temple in Chunnakam last morning. The autopsy carried out on the deceased has revealed that death was due to cardiac failure. According to JMO, Dr. S. Sivaruban, death was due to cardiac failure and there were no internal or external injuries. The deceased was 73 years old. Meanwhile, the first complaint with regard to the NPC polls in Jaffna, was related to more..

Aug 4 (SO) The results of the controversial drinking water in Weliweriya, the samples of which are currently being analysed at the Industrial Technology Institute (ITI) laboratory, will be released today, the latest, Director ITI, Dr. Sirimal Premakumara told the Sunday Observer. He said that water samples had been collected from the site, around the site and the peripheries of the alleged toxic water, and were currently being analysed at the ITI laboratory. more..

Aug 4 (ST) Weliweriya, a small peaceful town barely an hour’s drive from Colombo, resembled a war-torn area yesterday. Traffic moved but heavily armed Army and Police personnel patrolled the streets. There were hardly any people moving around. Shops remained closed. Shattered glass from homes and shops remained strewn on the road. There were even shoes and slippers. That told the story of a protest by more..

Aug 4 (SL) The Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission has launched an investigation into the Weliweriya incident, HRC Commissioner Dr Prathiba Mahanamahewa said. He said that a special five-member team had been sent to the area on Friday to carry out preliminary inquiries into the incident. Dr Mahanamahewa said that the five-member team had recorded statements from the police, the public, a church in the area and from others involved in the incident. He said that a discussion will more..

Aug 4 (AFP) New Zealand warned international health authorities Saturday of exported dairy products, including infant formula, containing a bacteria that could lead to botulism -- a potentially fatal illness. The govt said the contaminated whey protein concentrate, or products using this ingredient, had been exported to Australia, China, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Thailand and Vietnam. Dairy giant Fonterra, which manufactured the product more than a year ago, said eight more..

Aug 4 (ST) Parliament’s Acting Secretary General Dhammika Dassanayake was at his office last Monday morning when his telephone rang. It was lawyer cum politician Dayasiri Jayasekera, who joined the Govt ranks from the UNP just last week. A parliamentarian for the Kurunegala District for over 18 years, Jayasekera wanted to know whether he could tender his resignation post-dated. more..

Aug 4 (NS) The National Transport Commission (NTC) is to launch a special program to crack down on private buses that ply without route permits.Chairman, NTC, Roshan Gunawardena said that a survey would shortly be made to assess problems facing bus operators and that accordingly, steps would be taken to issue permits to operators who ply without permits. The survey would cover the main bus stops at Bastian Mawatha and the Wellawatte, Kotahena, Dehiwala, more..

Aug 4 (SL) A six-member delegation from the Korean National Assembly arrived in Sri Lanka last week, as part of a friendship exchange between the Sri Lankan Parliament and Korea’s National Assembly. The delegation’s three-day stay included a visit to Parliament and Ministry of Economic Development. The delegation, led by M.P. Shin Sung Bum, who is the President of the Korea-Sri Lanka Parliamentary Friendship Association, had a luncheon meeting with Minister Bandula more..

Aug 4 (ST) In continuing moves to thaw the frozen relations between the Opposition UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and the party’s erstwhile deputies, Mr. Wickremesinghe and Karu Jayasuriya conferred privately on Friday at the Nalandaraamaya Temple in Nugegoda on the way forward for the party. The private tete-a-tete was brokered by former party chairman Malik Samarawickrama. Mr. Wickremesinghe had more..

Aug 4 (ST) An international study has placed Sri Lanka among top 20 countries that catch sharks. Noting that these 20 countries account for 80% of the world’s annual shark catch, a report based on the study puts the survival of many shark varieties in their hands. This report titled “The future of the Shark: A Review of Action and Inaction” was produced by the wildlife trade monitoring network TRAFFIC, and the Pew Environment Group. more..

Aug 4 (ST) Authorities warned foreign job recruiting agencies to fall in line with the new set of regulations, or face the consequences that could include cancellation of their operational licence. But the industry said it would continue its agitation until there is a re-think on the issue.Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) General Manager Harischandra Bategoda told the more..

Aug 4 (NS) Despite assurances given by the Defence Ministry, Weliveriya residents yesterday claimed they were doubtful regarding the sincerity of authorities to find solutions to their problems, as the Army appointed a Board of Inquiry to investigate the conduct of its personnel during violence that broke out at the protest on Thursday, where one person was killed. Chief Incumbent of Galoluwa Siri Sambuddhathva Jayanthi more..

Aug 4 (CG) The Maldives is considering having police officers stationed in Sri Lanka to curb drugs being smuggled into the Maldives. Maldives police commissioner Abdulla Riyaz has stressed on the need to station Maldivian police officers in neighbouring countries in order to stop drugs being trafficked into the Maldives. Riyaz pointed out that foreigners are heavily involved in drug trafficking rings in the Maldives. more..

Aug 4 (CG) An LTTE suspect who is in the custody of the Terrorist investigations Division (TID) has revealed that the LTTE had, during the war, murdered more than 80 people including a TID officer and an army captain who were held at an LTTE prison. The LTTE suspect has also given the location where the victims were burnt after being killed and this has been confirmed by three other LTTE suspects who are in police custody, more..

Aug 4 (CT) Close to 40 hotels, along the coastal belt from Kalutara to Negombo, have been reserved to accommodate the dignitaries visiting Sri Lanka to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Govt Meeting (CHOGM) in November. Govt Spokesperson for CHOGM, Anuradha Herath said the city hotels in Colombo will be fully reserved for the delegations and no outside bookings will be taken during the period of 10 - 17 November. more..

Aug 4 (CT) Former Police Spokesperson and SSP Ratnapura, Prishantha Jayakody, has fled the country fearing for his life, after he reportedly pressed action and arrested errant Embilipitiya Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman, M.K. Amila, over an assault on two police officers, sources close to the police officer said. Amila is the brother of late SPC Minister, M.K. Ranjith alias Chandi Malli, a former confidant of President Rajapaksa. more..

Aug 4 (ST) A Chinese firm is to receive the contract for a High Altitude Sports Complex in Nuwara Eliya and it will more than Rs. 15 billion. The man behind the move is Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage. He has said that the complex will have a 400-metre and 200-metre running tracks, a 400-metre natural running track, two pavilions, a cricket ground, an indoor stadium, swimming pools training centres and villas. more..

Aug 4 (AFP) Police and soldiers poured into a village near Sri Lanka's capital Colombo ahead of the funeral on Sunday of a teenager killed by troops during a protest against contaminated water, residents said. Locals said police were deployed outside the home of the 17-year-old student, who was shot dead on Thursday night when the army fired on unarmed villagers demanding clean drinking water. "There are a lot of police at the funeral more..

Aug 4 (CT) In an eerie action replay of events that occurred in February last year, when a protest by the fishing community in Chilaw over a fuel price hike ended in the death of a 43-year-old fisherman, killed by police gunfire, a 17-year-old Grade 12 student was killed on Thursday, this time by Army gunfire, when the residents of several villages in Weliweriya took to the streets to demand clean drinking water. Access to clean drinking water is fundamental to the wellbeing of every citizen. more..

Aug 4 (SL) Prime Minister D. M. Jayaratne says new laws will be introduced where the chief prelates can remove a Buddhist monk who disrespects the robe. The Premier said that while the chief prelates are known to respect and promote Buddhism there are some who wear the robe and do wrong. “The Sanga Sabha can take a decision on a monk who wears a robe but is not affiliated to any temple and the new law will give the Sanga Sabha the authority to disrobe a monk,” he said. more..

Aug 4 (CT) When you announce that you are going to apply for media accreditation for a routine international political event like the bi-annual CHOGM you don’t normally expect a rash of death threats – or to find a senior diplomat from the host country threatening on twitter that he will “make sure you don’t get a visa”. But this year’s CHOGM is no ordinary event. It is being held in Sri Lanka – whose govt is accused of some of the worst war crimes of this century. more..

Aug 4 (SL) The sacred animal sacrifice at the Munneswaram Temple is set to take place this month, a priest at the Temple said. He said that the govt has also been informed and advice has been sought on how to proceed. The priest, who did not wish to be named, recalled that last year the animal sacrifice had been disrupted by a Govt Minister. He said that while that incident was unfortunate, the Temple authorities hope to proceed with the animal sacrifice this year.

Aug 4 (CT) Former EPDP MP and the lead candidate of the ruling UPFA, from Jaffna, at the forthcoming Northern Provincial Council (NPC) polls, S. Thavarasa, said if the people pick the EPDP, the President would honour his words and delegate powers to the Northern Provincial Council. If the public picks a wrong Party, there would be inevitable problems, he warned, in an interview with Ranga Jayasuriya. more..

Aug 4 (Island) The Govt expects growth to increase to 7.5% this year but this seems to be a vain hope. A leading company, John Keells Holdings. has reported a decline of 4% in revenue in the first quarter of this financial year. There have been falls in revenue and profits in the Leisure Sector (hotels) in Transportation and in Food & Beverage. So although the cheerleaders of the govt expect growth to go up, we would be lucky to maintain our last year’s growth rate of 6.4%. more..

Aug 4 (CG) The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) says contrary to claims by the military, thousands of troops are still in Jaffna. TNA leader R. Sampanthan said that while the army claims there are only 13,000 soldiers remaining in Jaffna, in reality the figure is over 100,000. He said that there are 15 army divisions in Jaffna and in each division there are some 10,000 soldiers. The TNA leader said that his party had mentioned this even in parliament but it was never denied by the govt. more..

Aug 4 (PTI) DMK president M. Karunanidhi on Sunday sought the Centre’s intervention to end increasing incidents of apprehending of Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy and also their request to fish near the island nation for a select period due to dwindling resources. “Every time such incidents happen, the state govt takes up the matter with the Centre, which in turn writes to the Sri Lankan envoy to India or that govt, but more..

Aug 4 (Hindu) Minister for PM’s Office V. Narayanasamy criticised Chief Minister Jayalalithaa for the festering hostilities between fishermen of India and Sri Lanka. Speaking on the sidelines of visiting the families of 29 fishermen arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy last week, Mr. Narayanasamy said the Centre could only use diplomacy to secure their release. However, fishermen of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry had been demanding fishing rights in the territorial waters of Sri Lanka. more..

Aug 4 (CT) Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL), said it will watch out for abuse of public property by political parties, candidates, officials or public institutions during the forthcoming 21 September provincial elections, and investigate them. TISL's present monitoring exercise is a continuation of the Programme to Protect Public Resources (PPPR), which it carries out during every election. It has monitored misuse of property even during the General Elections more..

Aug 4 (AD) Responding to the accusations against security forces personnel regarding the clash in Weliweriya, Military Spokesman Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasooriya today said that the army was not there to create problems but to resolve the crisis and reopen the road blocked by protesters. Refusing to disclose who had issued the order to open fire at the protest demanding clean drinking water, he stated that the inquiry more..

Aug 4 (ST) Despite finding traces of dicyandiamide (DCD) in four imported milk powder samples, no immediate action will be taken to withdraw stocks from the markets as more tests will have to be carried out, a top official said yesterday. Industrial Technology Institute (ITI) Chairman Wimaladharma Abeywickrema said the institute would conduct more tests on imported milk powder samples and might even send some samples to overseas laboratories for more investigation. more..

Aug 4 (ST) Mosquitoes have been found to be breeding in a number of garden plants, a study conducted by MRI has revealed. The study is aimed at finding out whether mosquitoes have found alternate breeding spots, in garden plants, as the fight to control the spread of dengue intensifies. P. Ranasinghe, researcher at MRI said that mosquito larvae were found in plants that retain water. Small species of mosquitoes laid eggs on smaller plants, the larvae of the dengue mosquito was more..

Aug 4 (ST) The police were yesterday matching images captured by CCTV cameras during the attack on Malaka Silva – son of Minister Meryvn Silva, a senior investigator with the CCD said. He said the CCTV cameras installed inside the premises of the up market clothes store Odel near the Town Hall and the devices located on the main road close to where the incident had taken place had recorded the incident but more..

Aug 4 (ST) A group of four Sri Lankan seafarers who were stranded on a fishing vessel in Panama for eight months, returned to the country this week, after their air fares were met by the local recruiting agents on the persuasion of a maritime union in Colombo. Palitha Athukorale-President of the National Union of Seafarers Sri Lanka (NUSS), said that, following extensive discussions with the local recruiting agents in Colombo, the men were finally brought down. He added that the response and more..