Oct 16 (CG) Nine police officers have been transferred with immediate effect on exigencies of service, police headquarters said in a statement. The transfers had the approval of the Secretary to the Ministry of Law and Order. Those transferred are SSP Ajith Rohana from OIC of the Ampara Division to the Director of Police Public Relation and Media co-ordination Division, SSP M.H.K.B. Mahagedara from the OIC of the Nuwara Eliya Division more..

Oct 16 (LT) Today is ‘Hajj,’ a day Islam devotees celebrate with much devotion. They engage in religious ceremonies. During Hajj, Muslims remember and commemorate the trials and triumphs of Prophet Abraham and Muslims believe it is the day Allah tested Prophet Abraham’s devotion. Muslims consider today as a day Prophet decided to make a supreme sacrifice on behalf of Allah. Islam devotees remember these sacrifices and take inspiration in moulding their livelihoods. more..

Oct 16 (CT) Tanks rehabilitated in the Trincomalee District under the Emergency Natural Disaster Rehabilitation Project (ENDRP) at a cost of Rs 37 million, were ceremonially declared open on 12 Oct by the Governor of the Eastern Province, Rear Admiral (Retd.) Mohan Wijewickrema, and the Chief Minister, Najeeb Abdul Majeed, at the invitation of the Minister of Road Development, Irrigation, Housing and Construction, Rural Electrification and Water Supply of the Eastern Province, more..

Oct 16 (PTI) In the backdrop of repeated attacks on Indian fishermen by Sri Lankan authorities and the heat it generated in TN, the Centre plans to organise a meeting of fishermen representatives of both the countries to find an amicable solution over fishing in Palk Strait, Minsiter of State in PMO V Narayanasamy said today. The meeting, likely to be convened shortly, would also decide on the days when fishing should be more..

Oct 16 (LT) Young females from affluent and political families are to be recruited for monthly salaries of Rs.70,000 each for the CHOGM to be held next month state reports. In recruiting them no educational or other capabilities have been considered other than fluency in English, beauty and fair skin. They have been recruited to provide ‘facilities’ for the leaders attending CHOGM. The general process followed when personnel are recruited for state services have not more..

Oct 16 (SM) The adviser of the Siyanae People's Movement for Water Conservation in Rathupaswala, Ven. Theripaha Siridhamma thero, has been removed from his post, says the convener of the organization Pramitha Hettiarachchi. He said that due to entering into an agreement with the Controversial Rathupaswala factory without informing their organization, they have removed Ven. Siridhamma thero, who was once a “hero” of the people in Weliweriya who suffered from more..

Oct 16 (Island) The Energy sector regulator, the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL), says it will not allow the high expenditure incurred on purchasing costly thermal power from Independent Power Producers (IPPs) to be passed on to consumers. Despite the availability of plenty of water in reservoirs to generate hydro power, vast sums are being spent on purchases of costly thermal power, according to sources. more..

Oct 16 (wsws) Indian External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid left Colombo virtually empty-handed after his two-day visit to Sri Lanka last week. Although India gained an economic concession—an investment opportunity for a coal-powered electricity plant in eastern Sri Lanka—its call for a “political solution,” i.e., a power-sharing arrangement, between the island’s dominant Sinhala elite and its Tamil and Muslim counterparts, received a cold response. more..

Oct 16 (Island) The Govt Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) turned its guns on Minister Maithripala Sirisena, claiming that he had failed to take action against the Public Health Inspectors’ Union General Secretary A.M.S. Bandara, who, it claimed had been serving in the Polonaruwa District illegally. GMOA executive committee member Dr. Navin de Soysa claimed that PHI Bandara was a Navy deserter who had applied for the post of PHI while employed in the Navy. more..

Oct 16 (CT) Army Commander, Lt. Gen. Daya Ratnayake, during his maiden visit to Jaffna as the commander reiterated on Monday that the Army would continue to provide humanitarian assistance, and engage in rehabilitation and reconstruction activities in the North. He also emphasized the importance of the Security Forces personnel maintaining good relations with the general public in the North. more..

Oct 16 (HP) Sri Lanka is a staggering country. You would expect its people to be still smarting from Portuguese, Dutch and then British colonialism, followed by civil war and religious friction. But they are among the friendliest and most humble I have ever encountered, regularly stopping to chat with you about who's going to win the English Premier League, or wanting to pose with you in a photo. Perhaps it's down to its year-round tropical sunshine, pink sandy palm beaches, more..

Oct 16 (SM) Granting of payments and increment in the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has been temporarily suspended, “Sri Lanka Mirror” hears. It is said that this has been done due to serious money shortages. According to reports, this has erupted with the Ministry of Sports refusing to grant the promised 30 Million Rupees to the SLC. Due to this financial crisis, the organizing work of the oncoming New Zealand tour has also faced difficulties, insider sources say. more..

Oct 16 (CG) Three more TNA NPC members took oaths before an attorney-at-law in Vavuniya today. With today’s event only one of the nine NPC members who boycotted the official ceremony in Jaffna needs to take oaths. The three NPC members who took oaths today are from the EPRLF, a constituent party of the TNA. MP Sivashakthi Anand also attended the event. On Monday PLOTE members elected to the NPC more..

Oct 16 (CI) Sri Lanka A closed in on victory on day three the second four-day match, at SSC, as they dismissed Development XI for 276, setting themselves 93 to win in the fourth innings. Niroshan Dickwella's promotion to no. 3 yielded an encouraging and provided Development XI hope of salvaging the match, but scant contributions from elsewhere had them on the brink of defeat by stumps. SL A need 74 more runs to close out the match, with their openers still at the crease. more..

Oct 16 (MR) Duty free retailer Flemingo will announce the launch of its charitable arm The Flemingo Foundation at TFWA World Exhibition next week – along with its first project, targeting alarming rates of child abuse and child suicide in Sri Lanka. The company said that ‘modest but impactful’ funding will allow 10,000 Sri Lankan school children to be educated to defend themselves from abuse. The retailer’s Educate to Protect campaign, in partnership with Inner Wheel Club of more..

Oct 16 (BBC) Britain has urged Sri Lanka to speed up the investigation into the death of aid worker Khuram Shaikh, who was killed on holiday on Christmas Day 2011. Sri Lanka's High Commissioner John Rankin said he hoped progress would be made following David Cameron's visit for a Commonwealth summit. Red Cross worker Mr Shaikh, 32, from Rochdale was shot and stabbed. The main suspect has links to the govt. more..

Oct 17 (NS) The Indian Govt has still not revoked its controversial decision of removing Pali as a subject offered at the Indian Civil Services (commonly known as Indian Administrative Services-IAS) examinations. The examinations are held under the purview of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and the UPSC took this decision in March, this year. It shocked the Buddhist community of India and several parties protested against it. However, the protests have not convinced more..

Oct 17 (CT) The recent months of Sri Lankan politics have witnessed TNA sweeping overwhelmingly the Northern Provincial election (NPC) held for the first time in the history of Sri Lankan politics. Surprisingly, the new chief minister, CV Wigneswaran, recently taking oath before the president sent shockwaves to rabbles and those who opposed the NPC election in the South, while displaying a potent political gesture to the Southern political leaders, especially the govt. more..

Oct 17 (SO) If a Sri Lankan goes overseas and returns after about six months or if a tourist visits Sri Lanka after a long time, they would observe massive and rapid infrastructure development taking place in the island. They will also experience the phenomenal changes that have and are taking place in the economy. These have all being made possible, firstly due to ending the 30-year terrorism through the world’s more..

Oct 17 (CT) By all indications, President Rajapaksa, has all of a sudden got a great liking for the Northern Province (NP) Chief Minister, C.V. Wigneswaran. This could either be a political ploy, something he is very adept at, to drive a spanner into the TNA machinery or an 'insurance policy' ensuring the support of the TNA at a future Presidential election. There is no doubt Rajapaksa has learnt a valuable lesson from the just concluded PC elections – nationalism is no longer a vote-puller more..

Oct 17 (CT) About 2,300 years ago, in a jungle infested with game and thick foliage, Devanampiyatissa, the then reigning King of Sri Lanka, while hunting his helpless prey, was interrupted by an august-looking savant. After an enlightening exchange of dialogue between the two, the King received his first foreign envoy from his closest neighbour, India. Presenting his credentials, Arahath Mahinda gifted his host country with the greatest of all gifts that any country could more..

Oct 17 (SO) Muslims all over the world are getting ready to celebrate the Haj festival (festival of sacrifice) on Wednesday. Haj is the world’s biggest annual pilgrimage and Muslims the world over throng the Holy Makkah (Mecca) to celebrate this event. Thousands of devotees from Sri Lanka will also take part. Fulfilling Haj is a compulsory duty of every able Muslim at least once in a lifetime. The money which is spent on Haj should more..

Oct 17 (Island) I commend George Orwell to Sajith Premadasa and Malcolm Muggeridge to Ranil Wickremesinghe. In the past few months I watched the unfolding theatre of the absurd of the UNP with amused disdain. ‘A plague o’ both your houses! I am sped’ was my attitude towards the grand old party which is now neither grand nor a party. The mayhem at Matara made me realize that the problem calls for some responses from the citizenry. Understanding the predicament of the UNP is not difficult. more..

Oct 17 (NS) Authors should be humble. They should be willing to not only share their knowledge, but encourage reading of any kind. Many only concern themselves with their own writing and thus seem boastful and pretentious. Such qualities in an author create distaste in their readers and make the writer-reader relationship an uneasy one. Daya Dissanayake belongs to the more difficult to find, but easier to like type of authors. He is not only a humble man; he also believes that more..

Oct 17 (Island) Chairman, fellow members of the NPC, persons of learning and of standing seated on the dais, my dear brothers and sisters, Some of us gathered here, were earlier candidates. Today we are meeting as members of the Council. A majority of the candidates changed into members. Yet a few are left out. But it does not imply that in the service of the people they are not wanted. On this occasion I only want to say that their services are are needed. Those of us who are selected are today more..

Oct 17 (CT) Delivering the keynote address at the recently-concluded Silver Jubilee Convention of the Association of Professional Bankers, better known as APB, the former Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, Dr. Duvvuri Subbarao, left his audience with 10 suggestions which are in fact 10 Commandments. The theme of the Convention was ‘Beyond Growth: A Formula for Success’ and the theme of the keynote address on how to beat the middle income country trap was very apt to more..

Oct 17 (FT) UNP Chief Ranil Wickremesinghe left on a two-day visit to Singapore after a marathon day of discussions that centred on his leadership of Sri Lanka’s main opposition party on Tuesday. Nearly two weeks ago, the UNP’s internecine war turned bloody on the streets of Matara. Three days ago, as a belated result of that violence, Matara Police sought the arrest of Mangala Samaraweera in connection more..

Oct 17 (Island) With time fast running out for the White House and the Congress to break the Capitol Hill deadlock to prevent the US from defaulting on its debt, countries across the globe are taking steps to protect their economies. It is not that they doubt America’s ability to reach a settlement and raise the debt ceiling to avert a crisis. While reposing their trust in the US they have prudently chosen to tie their financial horses just in case, so to speak. The British MPs have been urged by experts more..

Oct 17 (Hindu) The appeasement of human conflict is at the centre of everything Sri Lankan theatre activist Ravindra Ranasinha does. Through his 25 years translating and directing plays in Sri Lanka, he chose to enact stories that would deconstruct the causes behind social and political conflict. In his present avatar as a dramatherapist, Ravindra uses theatre as a direct tool of healing for personal, internal conflict. In Kochi to address postgraduate literature students on how to use more..

Oct 17 (Island) Indicating a clear case where other sports suffer in comparison to the riches enjoyed by a game like cricket, the National javelin record holder Sachith Maduranga, who retired prematurely from the sport recently, is now trying his luck at cricket in spite of the last ditch attempts by the athletic authorities to bring him back to track and field. Asian Athletics Championship medallist quit athletics in disgust last month more..

Oct 17 (FT) Yan Junqi, who is a senior state leader from China, has just concluded a productive visit to Sri Lanka with her 12 member delegation. Yan called on President Rajapaksa on Tuesday with Minister G.L. Peiris and Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga also present at the meeting. The cordial exchanges at their meeting reaffirmed Sri Lanka’s elevation to strategic cooperation partner status, announced during the President’s recent state visit. more..

Oct 17 (Island) Japan is Sri Lanka's third largest foreign financier-and Lanka's bilateral trade with Japan is also on a promising trend. "In 2012, Japan was Sri Lanka's third largest foreign financier after China and India. Lanka - Japan trade too has been growing -an increase of 56% from 2002!" said Minister Rishad Bathiudeen. He was addressing the high powered Japanese biz and investment delegation - one of the biggest such officials Japanese teams to arrive in Sri Lanka more..

Oct 17 (FT) Standard Chartered’s Global Head of Real Estate Mark Ebbinghaus is in Sri Lanka today meeting the local team and some key clients. The arrival of another business head to the country is a reflection of the increased importance of Sri Lanka to Standard Chartered Bank. Ebbinghaus is a real estate specialist with more than 27 years of experience in sector of which more than 17 years have been in equities research and more..

Oct 17 (F2F) Brandix has extended its support to the 2013 National Occupational Safety & Health Conference organised by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) as part of this year’s National Safety Week programme. This is the fourth successive year that Brandix took the role of Main Sponsor of the programme, and the seventh time overall that the Group supported events connected to the National Safety Week initiative. Theme for this year’s National Conference more..

Oct 17 (CG) The Swiss authorities have cleared a Sri Lankan family of a failed asylum seeker to return to that country after obtaining clearance from Sri Lanka. The wife and two young children of the asylum seeker returned to Switzerland this week, the Swiss Federal Office for Migration (FOM) said today. “The FOM has approved the re-entry. This is because of health problems and because of the personal, difficult life of a mother of two small children, “Gaby Szöllösy, more..

Oct 17 (NP) Seven years after he was arrested by the RCMP in Toronto, a Canadian man has pleaded guilty in New York to conspiring to buy anti-aircraft missiles for Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tigers. Piratheepan Nadarajah, 37, is to be sentenced on Jan. 31 after the U.S. District Court accepted his guilty pleas on two counts related to his work as an arms supplier for the separatist rebels. Three other Canadians are already more..

Oct 17 (Island) Four persons were injured when an escort vehicle providing security to Productivity Promotion Minister Basheer Segudawood veered off the road and ploughed into a barbed wire fence in the Gallella area at Kaduruwela on the Batticaloa - Polonnaruwa road on Tuesday night. A woman, a police sergeant and two constables were injured in the mishap. The injured were admitted to the Polonnaruwa hospital. Their condition was not serious, according to hospital sources. more..

Oct 17 (DN) The public will have the opportunity to view the Colombo-Katunayake Expressway on Oct 22, 23 and 24 prior to its grand opening on October 27, Minister Nirmala Kothalawala said. Many events will be organized under the patronage of Minister Basil Rajapaksa to entertain the people who are coming here on these days", he said. "To celebrate the opening of the country's second Expressway, we will conduct sporting events, such as, cricket, elephant races, volleyball, cycling more..

Oct 17 (IL) Chairman of the Tea Exporters’ Association (TEA) of Sri Lanka, Rohan Fernando presented their proposals to President Rajapaksa to support the Govt’s efforts to increase exports toward the goal of US$ 20 billion by 2020 with a tea contribution of US$ 3 to 5 billion by that time. He also tabled the current status of the tea export industry in Sri Lanka at the 14th Annual General Meeting of the TEA which was held more..