May 6 (Island) Meteorology Department warned that showers and thundershowers accompanied by lightning would continue for another week. Meteorologist in charge Channa Rodrigo said that showers and thundershowers would occur during the entire day in the Western and Southern Provinces and in the afternoon in other areas. "This is a result of an atmospheric disturbance in the vicinity of Sri Lanka," he said adding the general public, especially fisher folk should be vigilant more..

May 6 (ST) A married Sri Lankan maid was on Monday jailed for 10 years for killing her lover, an Indian national, in 2009 following a fight in his room. The High Court heard that the couple started their affair in 2007. Mr Murugaiyan has been working here since 1998 while Puwaneswary came to Singapore in 2004. Puwaneswary Tharmalingam, now 34, pleaded guilty to striking Mr Murugaiyan Selvam, 32, on the head with an improvised dumbbell in his room at his workplace. more..

May 6 (LBO) Dhammika Perera, head of Sri Lanka's Vallibel group who has made a series of daring acquisitions says he has effective control of nearly a tenth of listed firms in the island after buying over the latest clutch of five companies. On Monday, Royal Ceramics, a unit of listed Vallibel One in which Perera owns 63.5%, bought a 76% stake in Lanka Ceramics from listed Ceylon Theatres group for 2.9 billion rupees. more..

May 6 (LBO) Stocks surged up 1.8% Monday adding 40 billion rupees to stock values partly helped improved sentiment from a 2.9 billion rupee ceramic sector acquisition, brokers said. The Colombo All Share Index closed 107.99 points higher at 6,121.17 up 1 and the S&P SL 20 Index closed 55.138 points higher at 3,461.12 up 1.62%. Foreign investors purchased 123 million rupees of shares and sold 94 million rupees worth in a day that saw 166 stocks advancing and 58 retreating. more..

May 6 (PTI) 15 fishermen, who put to sea from here, were on Monday attacked allegedly by Sri Lankan navy when they were fishing near Dhanuskodi. The fishermen were fishing near a sand hillock in Indian waters when the Lankan navy came in two boats and allegedly beat them up with sticks, said Plavumin Thiyakarajan, assistant director, fisheries department. The Lankan navy personnel told them they were fishing in Lankan waters and sent them back with a warning, officials said. more..

May 6 (Island) A woman’s identity card, a gold tooth, a large number of human bones, male and female clothes and a number of travel bags were among the items recovered along with aircraft parts, when the Navy resumed salvaging of the Lion Air aircraft which was shot down by the LTTE in 1998 near the Iranativu Island on the northeast coast. After the Navy divers laboured for about seven hours, at a depth of 20 metres, more..

May 6 (GDI) 20 fully furnished houses built by the army funded by Governor of the Northern Province were handed over to the recipients today by MP Namal Rajapaksha and Governor of the Northern Province Major General GA Chandrasiri at a ceremony held on Saturday. MP declared open the house of female soldier Premakanthi P at Kanchipuram. MP, Governor, Security Force Commander (Kilinochchi), Kilinochchi District Secretary Mrs. R Ketheeswaran and former more..

May 6 (IANS) Steps to operationalise the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant would go on uninterrupted as the Indian Supreme Court Monday disposed of a public suit seeking to halt its commissioning with a direction to the govt to submit a report on the compliance of all safety steps before the plant is commissioned. However, an apex court bench of Justice Radhakrishnan and Misra issued detailed directions to the govt on the safety and the monitoring of the plant's operations. more..

May 6 (CG) The United States says that while it recognises the progress made on some issues in Sri Lanka, more needs to be done on reconciliation and accountability. The US Ambassador Michele J. Sisson, in a Twitter interview, said that the US and the international community recognize progress in infrastructure, demining and on the IDP issue in Sri Lanka. “US & intl community recognize progress in infrastructure, more..

May 6 (Island) Thailand Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra will make an official visit to Sri Lanka on the 31st of this month, Minister G.L. Peiris said. Prime Minister’s visit will be followed by the visit of Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn in August to participate in the culmination of Siam Upasampada celebrations. Minister Peiris made these remarks at a joint press conference held with Thailand’s Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul, after successfully more..

May 6 (CG) MP Duminda Silva appeared in Court today over the Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra murder case. Silva, who was in hospital after being re-admitted on Saturday, appeared before the Court and then returned to hospital. Hirunika Premachandra yesterday raised suspicion on Silva being re-admitted to hospital just a day before he was scheduled to appear in Court. Premachandra had claimed that the MP was attempting to avoid Court as he will be questioned on the murder more..

May 6 (DM) The govt has broken the backbone of the Police Department, the UNP claimed, responding to a statement made by Western Province (North) DIG Vass Gunawardene recently. “Politicians of this govt keep frequently attacking police officers and damaging the independency of the Police Department,” Opposition Leader of the Western Provincial Council Manju Sri Arangala said. DIG Vass Gunawardene had said, those more..

May 6 (LT) Sri Lanka Cricket has to pay a long outstanding bill of Rs.80 million to CEB and instead of paying this bill in cash SLC has bartered two of their generators worth Rs. 60 million says the General Secretary of the Lanka Electricity Board Employees’ Union Ranjan Jayalal. Mr. Jayalal says this is a strange transaction and adds that the print and electronic media have already revealed this and it is also mentioned in the audit report of SLC. He says at a time the electricity tariff of the public more..

May 6 (Island) More than 20 acres of land belonging to the Kandy Teaching Hospital had been illegally acquired by businessmen for constructing unauthorised structures, Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena revealed. He said that if the Provincial Council, the Pradeshiya Shabha and the Municipal Council helped him, he would institute legal action against the encroachers. Minister Sirisena said that many unauthorised structures, such as trade stalls, shanties and stalls for nefarious activities, more..

May 6 (OU) According to the recommendations of Reconciliation Commission, by originating a new constitution, a new political culture and economy society can be originated was said by UNP Leader Ranil Wickramasinghe. According to this, our party is engaged drastically in the activities of originating the new constitution, he said. Concerning the introductory of new constitution, discussions will be held at the end of this more..

May 6 (USE) U.S. Ambassador Michele J. Sison declared open a U.S. Govt funded $97,925 (12 million rupees) renovated children's park for residents of Karachchi, Kilinochchi on May 4 alongside Minister, Tissa Karaliyadda. Karachchi suffered heavy damage to its infrastructure during the many years of conflict. The newly renovated park will provide a venue for recreation and strengthened peaceful co-existence to over 22,000 families in the area, including many more..

May 6 (MEA) The Govt has already implemmented a novel scheme to purchase potatoes ar Rs. 65 per kilo from local potato farmers with the support of Agrarian Services Department, says Minister Basil Rjapaksa. The Govt is providing every possible assistance to the local potatofarmers to boot the production in order to make the country self sufficient in potatoes by 2014. He made this announcement at meeting with the local potato farmers at the Economic Development more..

May 6 (Island) Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi, on Friday, shot back at UNP MP Sajith Premdasa, who, speaking at his late father’s, President R Premadasa, commemoration, said that had his father been alive there would have been no electricity price hike. A press release issued by the Minister says: "MP Premadasa had reportedly said that had his father been alive and a UNP govt had been in power, more..

May 6 (LB) The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has expressed its satisfaction on the post war development achieved by Sri Lanka since the end of the armed conflict in May 2009. During the ADB's 46th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors held in New Delhi from May 2-5, Sri Lanka's representative, Senior Minister Dr. Sarath Amunugama had held official discussions with the ADB officials regarding the ADB funded development projects in Sri Lanka. more..

May 6 (Hindu) A weather system - low-pressure area or depression, or even a cyclone - brewing in Southwest Bay of Bengal, off Sri Lanka, could have a major influence on precipitating this year’s Southwest monsoon. India Meteorological Department on Saturday identified a cyclonic circulation, the rudimentary form of a building storm, hanging over the suspect area (off Sri Lanka and southeast of peninsular India). As of now, the system has got everything going for it to grow more..

May 6 (MEA) The signing of the Protocol on Co-operation between the Ministry of External Affairs of Sri Lanka and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan will pave the way for a regular dialogue and enhance bilateral co-operation both in the political and the economic sphere, the Foreign Ministers of the two countries noted in their discussions at the Ministry of External Affairs in Colombo today. more..

May 7 (NS) The govt authorities approved an electricity tariff increase based on the proposal of the CEB in mid April. The rise was of a record percentage and was to affect all strata of consumers. This was a curtain raiser for a series of discussions, protests, campaigns, press-conferences and more importantly for a wider discussion of the subject. Finally the President, head of the same govt, announced relief for some of the consumers at a May Day rally. more..

May 7 (NS) Duminda Silva, with his miraculous recovery, has turned a new page in the history of medicine. Upon his recovery, Wikipedia introduced a new syndrome to the world known as the “Duminda Silva Syndrome’(DSS): “Duminda Silva Syndrome is a very rare instance (but very common in the resplendent tropical island of Sri Lanka) where a person who suffers massive traumatic brain injury only sustains memory loss specific to the traumatic event, with an otherwise normal recovery”. more..

May 7 (NS) It has been decided to hold Provincial Council elections to the Northern Province next September. With the conclusion of the Eastern Provincial Council elections, enormous pressure was been brought to bear on the Sri Lankan govt to hold NPC elections ahead of Geneva caucus held in March 2013. While India and the USA are now urging for such an election, Bishop Rayappu Joseph is advocating an interim govt on a par with Interim Self Governing Authority more..

May 7 (DBS) In the wee hours on Thursday 2 May, prominent Muslim politician Azath Salley, former Deputy Mayor of Colombo Municipality and leader of the newly formed National Unity Alliance, was arrested from his daughter’s Kolonnawa house. He is now being held at the CID headquarters in Fort on a three month detention order. Salley, taken into custody under the Prevention of Terrorism Act, was accused of inciting people aimed at causing damage to ethnic and religious harmony, more..

May 7 (GV) I approach this subject as a political scientist, a former diplomat and briefly a Minister in the Cabinet of the North East Provincial Council. At the overlap of these experiences and roles is what is classifiable as a Realist perspective. As a Realist, I reject outright three myths about devolution which have been around for a long time but have been resuscitated in the post-war period. Firstly, that devolution in our context is primarily to do with empowerment of the people more..

May 7 (DBS) Former Colombo Deputy Mayor and Founder Leader of the National Unity Front Azath Salley is currently held at the Police CID Fourth floor headquarters in Fort on a detention order for 90 days issued under the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). When Azath Salley was arrested on May 2nd the MCNS Director General Lakshman Hulugalle was reported by the State controlled “Daily News” as saying that more..

May 7 (CT) The ongoing saga of the newest white elephant of the Rajapaksa Regime shows no sign of ending. The most recent scandal is about the monkeys being electrocuted by the high tension power lines serving the airport and the fact that, each time this happens, the power supply to the international airport is affected providing, as can easily be imagined, a significant safety hazard for planes coming into or leaving that facility. Not so long ago, when the power lines serving our more..

May 7 (CT) Petty tyranny is not unique to political rulers afflicted with severe inferiority complexes. When rules of collective functioning are abandoned within a country, system or an institution, foolhardy and arrogant leadership becomes a dangerous and ultimately fatal combustion. This can happen at the highest levels of political leadership in the govt, in the opposition, in the judiciary or down the ranks to a village council leader and for that matter, a head of an institution. A once coherent and more..

May 7 (CT) While there is an acute shortage of drugs in govt hospitals, and patients are directed to buy their drugs from private pharmacies, the Ministry of Health is said to be dragging its feet without finalizing the much needed National Drug Regulatory Policy. It is learnt that the Health Ministry, which had received approval for the Draft Policy from the Legal Draftsman's Office, is now entertaining certain reservations on the more..

May 7 (Island) The govt may have thought protests against the latest electricity tariff hikes would fizzle out with the passage of time. But, all signs are that they will not go away. Even some of the ruling UPFA constituents have lent their voice to the protesters calling for a tariff reduction. They have apparently seen which way the wind is blowing! President Rajapaksa’s May Day promise to grant some relief to electricity consumers does not seem to have had the desired impact on the electorate. more..

May 7 (Island) The term rent-seeking is generally applied to politicians and govt officials who seek benefits from the implementation of rules and regulations they administer. But the term is also used of those who benefit from the rent that, as it were, they pay to those in authority. Influencing govt officials, and even govt itself, to grant favours is an easy way of profiting in cultures where transparency is lacking and decision makers have discretion (which is generally a good thing) but more..

May 7 (CT) Farmers in Polonnaruwa are faced with a serious problem as they have not been able to obtain fertilizer at the subsidized rates for the Yala Kanna. Nearly 165,000 acres of paddy cultivations are said to be affected due to this failure, the President of the Giritale Farmers' Union, Keerthi Rajakaruna, said. Paddy fields in Giritale, Minneriya, Kaudulla, Parakrama Samudraya and Mahaweli B,C and D sectors have been cultivated even though they have not received the subsidy more..

May 7 (Island) The seventh edition of the Champions Trophy will get underway on June 6, in Cardiff, and captain Angelo Mathews has spoken of his ambitions to win the country the Champions Trophy. With the ICC having decided to scrap the Champions Trophy after this edition, it will be also the last opportunity for Sri Lanka to have a crack at one of the most prestigious prizes in ODI cricket. Sri Lanka were joint-champions of the Champions Trophy alongside India when they hosted more..

May 7 (Island) The govt’s centralised ‘Divi Neguma’ poverty alleviation programme, controlled by the Economic Development Ministry, runs the risk of incurring heavy administrative expenses in the absence of a process for monitoring and evaluation, which could have otherwise benefitted the poor. "The implementation structure is hierarchical with considerable duplication and overlap of functions, which is likely to be more..

May 7 (DN) A free medical camp organized by the Past Visakhian Doctors' Association (PVDA) of the Visakha Vidyalaya Old Girls' Association was held on May 5 at the school premises. The opening ceremony was attended by Visakha Principal Sandamali Aviruppola, Vice Principal Kalani Suriyapperuma, past Principals M N Edussuriya and Sita Siriwardena, Old Girls' Association Joint Secretary Renuka Dharmadasa, Medical Sub-Committee Convener Yasoma Weerasekara more..

May 7 (CT) Several senior consultants at the Sri Jayewardenepura General Hospital have expressed concern over the vacancy published for an Urologist by the hospital, claiming the vacancy had been tailor-made for a certain candidate. The consultants allege the vacancy published in a daily paper on a Tuesday last month with a closing date of 30 April and an interview on 9 May, had been tailor-made for a specific Urologist Transplant Surgeon currently at the General Hospital, in Anuradhapura. more..

May 7 (ST) Schoolchildren across the country will act as mediators to draw out e-waste lying in homes, in a major move by the Central Environmental Authority (CEA) this month to ensure its proper disposal without polluting the environment and causing illness. We plan to set up collecting mechanisms in every province, making use of a network of 5,000 schools which are part of an environmental pioneering programme, more..

May 7 (DN) Residents of Udammita yesterday rescued four schoolchildren and the driver of the van they were travelling in, when it went under water while crossing a bridge at Udammita on the Colombo – Negombo road. The bridge on which the school van with four schoolchildren was proceeding, was about to be washed away by flood waters, being in a state of collapse. One half of the van had gone under water on the bridge, when the four schoolchildren between the age groups 12 more..