Sep 15 (CI) The decision review system (DRS), along with the playing conditions at the 2015 World Cup, is set to dominate the proceeding at the two-day ICC chief executives' committee (CEC) meeting in Dubai on Sept 16 and 17. Although the ICC has discontinued to publish the agenda and the results of the CEC from this year, it is understood that the meet will see a divided house with England and Australia joining hands to take on the other front led by India with support from more..

Sep 15 (CG) President Mahinda Rajapaksa met former LTTE chief arms procurer Kumaran Pathmanathan (KP) in Kilinochchi, the President’s media unit said today. The President had met the former rebel when he visited the Sencholai children’s home located in the former rebel town. The President had made inquiries into the educational facilities at the children’s home which operates under KP. more..

Sep 15 (Island) The Sri Lankan writer, Florence Ratwatte, has had a novel set in Ceylon’s tea country titled "Doppelganger" published by Austin Macauley Publishers of London. Ms. Ratwatte, a sociology major from the University of Ceylon, worked in the Sri Lanka Tourist Board until she took up freelance writing. She has been published in newspapers and magazines. She lives deep in the "Ceylon Tea" country which is the backdrop of her first novel which is also available on the more..

Sep 15 (WE) DeSilva, a business professor at Wichita State University, is a native of Sri Lanka, the island nation south of India once known as Ceylon. He has pushed international business education for Wichita students and Wichita businesses for decades. As chairman of the World Trade Council, he has lured ambassadors and trade officials from all over the world to Wichita to talk about how to trade with their countries. And nearly every year since he left Sri Lanka for Wichita in 1976, more..

Sep 15 (CG) A major security operation has been launched in the city ahead of the CHOGM to be held in Sri Lanka. Security sources said that under stage one of the operation salons, communication canters, and locations used as lodging by Indian and Pakistani nationals living in the city as well as lodges have undergone a thorough security check. A report on the first stage of the security operation in preparation for more..

Sep 15 (SO) Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne said the CHOGM would be an ideal opportunity for Sri Lanka to project its image globally and attract new investments. CHOGM will pave the way to show the world how Sri Lanka treats all communities equally without any discrimination. It will also help develop the economy and attract new investors, the Premier said. “We have invited not only Commonwealth countries, but also other countries to make investments in Sri Lanka. more..

Sep 15 (SL) The govt says it will not be holding a Presidential election next year despite calls from the opposition. The UNP has been continuously saying that Presidential elections will be held in 2014. However Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said if at all, Presidential elections will be held in 2015 and not before that. He noted that holding an election can be decided either when the term of the President is over or under the Constitution he decides to have it earlier. more..

Sep 15 (CG) Controversy had arisen over the refusal by the Commonwealth Secretariat to make public a damning report on the impeachment of former Chief Justice Shirani Banadaranayake. The ‘Langa’ report by former South African chief justice, Pius Langa which was commissioned by the Commonwealth Secretariat, has accused the govt of precipitating a constitutions crisis of vast proportions. more..

Sep 15 (SO) Vanni is getting ready to face a drastic change by next week with the NPC Elections. Clearly with the restoration of democracy and solid establishment of Civil administration, the security forces are moving away from the Civil Military Coordination activities in which they contributed a great deal to bring normalcy to the area following the victory of the Humanitarian operation. Today the Omanthai entry exit point, do not check local civilians and Sri Lankans are totally free to more..

Sep 15 (ST) A recruitment agent of domestic workers and other categories to the Middle East has filed a fundamental rights case in the Supreme Court challenging the refusal of the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) to give him a recruitment quota under new rules. Wijaya Undupitiya, Managing Director of Saranaseva (SSPL), through his company is also seeking compensation in a sum of Rs 88 million for the loss of business after he was refused a quota to more..

Sep 15 (DM) Former Sri Lankan Ambassador to Italy Asitha Perera passed away today following a cardiac arrest at a private hospital in Colombo. He was 54. Former National List MP from the SLMC, He served as a MP during President Chandrika Kumaratunga’s period. Before his posting in Italy in Sept 2011, He was serving as the Sri Lankan Ambassador to South Korea from 2006 to 2009. more..

Sep 15 (ST) A committee was appointed by President Rajapaksa recently to look into formulating a new policy to suit the present and future needs of the country in keeping with global educational trends. The committee will look into new educational reforms and implement them within the local education system to improve its quality, and strive for better student employability. Commenting on this, Higher Education Ministry Secretary, Dr Sunil Jayantha Nawaratne said that, more..

Sep 15 (SL) Former LTTE chief arms procurer Kumaran Pathmanathan, better known as KP, says he has no intention of entering politics. In an interview Pathmanathan said that he wants to continue with his humanitarian work. “I certainly have no intention of entering politics. What I am doing is enough for me. I want to start an education centre for poor children and I want to improve their lives. If I enter politics I will not have the time to concentrate on their activities. more..

Sep 15 (CT) Closed-circuit televisions (CCTV) are to be setup for the protection of commuters using the Railway stations around the country. After the installation, the Railway Control Room would be able to monitor the stations during their day to day operations, railway department sources said. Railway officials further intend to use the CCTV to arrest those who engage in illegal activities within the stations.

Sep 15 (SM) Minister Wimal Weerawansa's "Ravana Balakaya" is making severe objections regarding the names of Rama, Ravana and Seetha in the movie "Seetha Man Awa" and demand that they should be removed. The director of the movie says that monks of the Ravana Balakaya had disturbed the movie's premier at the Ritz cinema hall in Borella. Veteran actor Jayasekara Aponsu who directed the movie says that the film has obtained the full permission from the censor board. more..

Sep 15 (CG) President Rajapaksa says the land issue is not something which is confined to the North but is seen even in Hambantota in the south. Addressing an election rally in Mullaitivu today the President said that the govt is now working out a system where houses and land can be allocated to those who need it. The President said that by building new roads and repairing the damaged infrastructure in the North, the govt wants to pave the way for new business opportunities to more..

Sep 15 (SM) A short while ago, an unidentified armed gang has attacked the leader of the Nava Sama Samaja Party Dr. Wickramabahu Karunaratne and some of his followers. Dr. Karunaratne's party is contesting for this years PC polls under the National Unity Alliance (NUA). He has been attacked by this gang when he was distributing leaflets among the people, with the support of the members of his party in Norochcholai. more..

Sep 15 (CG) TNA CM candidate for the NPC elections C.V Wigneswaran, in an urgent press conference today, attempted to play down some of the comments he had made last week. His comments on Tamil Nadu and LTTE leader V Prabakaran had stirred controversy both in Sri Lanka and in south India. Wigneswaran told reporters today he was happy with the support given by youth in TN to the Tamil cause in SL and that Tamils in Sri Lanka had gained a lot from it. more..

Sep 15 (GDI) President Mahinda Rajapaksa inaugurated the Chunnakam Grid substation connecting the Jaffna peninsula with the national grid after a lapse of two decades, Saturday (14) evening. Over 63 Mw of power is to be transmitted to the Jaffna peninsular through the substation for which the Government has spent Rs. 1,800 million. Over 120,000 households and the small and mega scale industries in the peninsula will be supplied electricity from the national grid. more..

Sep 15 (ST) Thousands of Central Province voters employed in Colombo are set to lose their voting rights after their employers turned down their request for leave to cast their votes next Saturday. The issue is due to be taken with the Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya next Tuesday when a group representing the interests of the workers, meet him. “We have already lodged a complaint with the Elections Commissioner. more..

Sep 16 (GV) Directed by Arun Welandawe-Prematilleke and produced by Mind Adventures, Paraya will begin its run on 18th of this month to the 21st. For any other theatrical production, that description would suffice, along with perhaps details on where to get tickets and more information on the box plan. Paraya though is different. It’s not going on stage at the Wendt, Punchi Theatre, The British School, The British Council or any other traditional venue for theatre. more..

Sep 16 (DBS) As the Northern Provincial Council election draws nearer many contradictions appear in the heavy rhetoric used by major players in the campaign, in relation to the circumstances they refer to. The TNA is seen as the frontrunner in the five Northern districts of Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, Vavuniya and Mannar, having presented a manifesto full of nationalist rhetoric. There seems to be a disconnect between the authors of this document and the real issues faced by more..

Sep 16 (SO) UPFA WPC candidate Johan Fernando said that he is working towards victory for the UPFA in the Wayamba Province. Johan who is the youngest candidate on the UPFA list said the victory that will achieved in Wayamba will be a historic one. He said that he wished all the UPFA candidates will make the same effort to make this endeavour a success. He said some Western forces were looking at what is happening in more..

Sep 16 (GV) Recently, women in three Kilinochchi villages were subjected to coercive population control. This incident occurred on Augu 31 – at the Veravil govt divisional hospital in Kilinochchi. The affected women reside in Valaipaddu, Veravil and Keranchi; all three are coastal villages. On Aug 30, the hospital staff and volunteers attached to Veravil divisional hospital informed community members residing in the three villages that any woman with a child under the age of five should come to more..

Sep 16 (SL) The govt of Sri Lanka (GOSL) has taken umbrage that the GOSL is on its way to becoming more and more authoritarian in the future. The main defence of-the GOSL against this has been that GOSL has been holding elections regularly and also winning them comfortably. Though this statement is true one has to question whether the elections held have been free and fair or whether they were marred by threats, violence and abuse of state machinery. more..

Sep 16 (SL) In an interview with The SL, Commander Security Forces Head Quarters –Jaffna: Major General Mahinda Hathurusinghe addressed the claims of military interference in lives of the people of the Northern peninsula. Q: What is your view of the mindset of the Tamil people in the North and their political preferences? A: The Tamil people are voting for the symbol. They are not particularly concerned about who the person is. more..

Sep 16 (CT) By chance, different strands came together in my mind, the first two leading to the third and most important, namely, Sri Lanka’s poor placing in the UN’s ranking of nations according to the degree of happiness experienced by its peoples. There are many factors which explain this uncomplimentary and unfortunate positioning, and I focus on the willingness to deny the full humanity of the other. Specialists with far better knowledge of political, economic and sociological more..

Sep 16 (CT) A refreshingly new art show is now on at the Paradise Road Gallery Café. It’s refreshing for several reasons. First of all, the young artist hailing from the District of Kurunegala is almost an unknown entity in Colombo (despite a first solo exhibition he held at the Lionel Wendt Gallery in 2012). Then comes the highly personal and constant style of this new prospect who makes a strong statement with each of the 23 paintings that hung on the Alfred-House-Road-Gallery’s walls. more..

Sep 16 (SL) UPFA Jaffna district leader for the upcoming PC Elections former MP S. Thavarajah said that it is only the UPFA that has a proper plan to develop the Northern Province and wanted the Tamil people not to fall prey to any other sinister movement. “Out of all Pradeshiya Sabhas in the Province the TNA has secured 13 councils by giving false promises to the people. Although they promised the sun and moon to the Tamils more..

Sep 16 (ST) Large trade deficits have been the dominating feature of the trade balance in the last three years. Once again this year’s external trade is heading towards a large deficit. With a trade deficit of as much as US$ 4.6 billion in the first half of the year we are heading towards a trade deficit of over US$ 9 billion. This is a serious concern. Despite these large trade deficits, there has not been much concern about them owing to a high proportion of the deficit being offset by more..

Sep 16 (SO) Buxom Babyhami was the only girl in her family. She had two brothers whom she did not care for. Babyhami treated the brothers like dirt and never took notice of them. She felt that she was the cock of the walk being the only girl in the family and her parents gave into her every whim and fancy. Babyhami put to good use her beautiful looks and was the envy of other women in the village. She would trek to the village well and engage in gossip with other women, while all the more..

Sep 16 (ST) With the end of the ‘Eelam War’, the spotlight has now turned to the Northern Province. The on-going joint effort with aid from India, expending over the USD 400 million to re-establish beyond Mankulam upto Kankesanthurai, the destroyed railway service complete with several new railway stations reminds one of the dark years when terrorist activity paralysed the movement of people and their trade between the Jaffna more..

Sep 16 (Island) The police have raided a house with red doors in Panadura and taken a dozen suspected sex workers into custody. Several such raids have been reported during the last few weeks. The police, no doubt, have to swoop on brothels and shebeens, mushrooming in all parts of the country much to the consternation of the public. But, the problem is that the politically connected professional criminals are handled with kid gloves while strumpets practising the oldest profession are severely dealt with more..

Sep 16 (ST) When François-Marie Arouet (1694-1778), commonly known as Voltaire, one of the most influential French Enlightenment thinkers, peremptorily asserted that “I may disagree with what you say but I will defend to the death, your right to say it”, he may himself not have realized the great historical impact that this statement would have had, informing much of contemporary thought on freedom of speech and expression. Particularly for those of us in countries where civil liberties are more..

Sep 16 (FT) With year-to-date net foreign inflow topping the Rs. 19 billion mark last week with a fresh dose of Rs. 875 million, external confidence in the economy appears to be improving, according to First Capital Equities. JKH saw net buying of Rs. 617 million whilst Sampath Bank enjoyed Rs. 192 million worth of net buying. Commercial Bank (Rs. 41 million) and Lion Brewery (Rs. 30 million) were other attractions for more..

Sep 16 (FT) The case filed against F&G Real Estate over an alleged fraud of Rs. 3.9 billion has been referred to the Attorney General for his advice, the CID informed the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court. When the case pertaining to the matter came up before Magistrate Thilina Gamage, the CID said that the extracts of the investigation notes had been referred to the Attorney General and they were yet to receive a reply from him. It was revealed that on an order issued by Court, more..

Sep 16 (ST) 23 Sri Lankan Cricketers will be seen in action in the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League 2012-13 which got off to a start on September 10. The tournament which began on 10 Sept is scheduled to go on till 9 Oct, but, the Lankan team management have given the Lankan cricketers the cut off date of October 5 as they will have to be a part of the series of domestic matches that has been organised by the SLC to fill the void created by the Zimbabwe tour cancellation. more..

Sep 16 (LBO) Sri Lanka's tourist arrivals surged 16.1% in August 2013 from a year earlier to 100,224, with India, Germany and China surging. Arrivals up to August were up 14.3% to 711,446. Indian arrivals, the largest source market, rose 29.2% to 14,528 in August showing strong growth for the second month in a row after bucking a near two year trend in lackluster performance. Arrivals were up despite a weaker Indian more..

Sep 16 (Island) JKH’s entry into the gaming led- USD 820mn mixed development project would be a game changer for the Company and the economy as a whole. However, the raising of equity and the ensuing dilution makes JKH a pricy short to medium term investment, Bartleet Religare Securities (BRS) said in a recent report. "We believe the project would enjoy high ROCEs and EBITDA margins alongside the proxies considered for the gaming project. The share has a significant longterm upside more..

Sep 16 (Island) Sri Lankan Construction Consultancy & Project Management Company, Milcris has won the pre-contract and post-contract cost consultancy services for the Sultan Qaboos Naval Base in Mirbat, along with the Pre Contract Services for a Passenger Terminal building at Adam Airbase in Oman. The Consultancy Services include the preparation of Cost Plans and Cost Management, Value Engineering process, Procurement and Tender Management for more..