Nov 26 (Island) UNP reformist, former UNP WPC member Shiral Lakthilake said that they would support common candidate MP Maithripala Sirisena at the forthcoming presidential though their original choice was UNP Deputy Leader Sajith Premadasa. He said whatever their previous planning, they would work for Maithripala Sirisena’s victory. According to him, vast majority of UNPers backed Sajith Premadasa’s candidature, though he didn’t receive nomination from the party. more..

Nov 26 (SD) Umno today signed two MoU to foster closer relationships with North Korean and Sri Lankan political parties here today. Its Secretary-General Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor signed the MoUs on behalf of Umno with Workers' Party of North Korea (WPK) and Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) on the sidelines of the Umno General Assembly 2014 here today. WPK was represented by its deputy head Pak Kun Gwang and SLMC by its Secretary General Hasen Ali. more..

Nov 26 (ZN) Despite criticism from several quarters, MDMK founder Vaiko and hundreds of his supporters on Wednesday celebrated the 60th birth anniversary of slain LTTE founder V Prabakaran. The MDMK supporters cut cakes and held meetings at various places remembering the slain LTTE chief's struggle for the cause of common Tamilians. Vaiko even condemned PM Narendra Modi for greeting more..

Nov 26 (CG) The Govt today accused the Unites States (US) Government of wanting to rescue slain LTTE leader Vellupillai Prabakaran during the war. Minister S.B. Dissanayake said that the US and some other countries had used all their power in the attempt to end the war but they failed. He said that pressure was also exerted through the UN, Norway and the British Govt. However he said President Rajapaksa had refused to succumb to pressure and eventually defeated the LTTE. more..

Nov 26 (LT) Catholics have expressed their dismay at the use of a photograph of Pope Francis in the election campaign of Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa. Posters displaying Mr. Rajapaksa’s photograph have been pasted throughout the country and in areas where Catholics live in large numbers posters with Mahinda Rajapaksa greeting Pope Francis have been pasted. Mr. Rajapaksa’s photograph appears at the top of the poster and below photographs of Pope Francis and Mahinda Rajapaksa are more..

Nov 26 (PTI) Indian PM Narendra Modi held a bilateral meeting with President Rajapaksa during which he thanked him for pardoning and sending back five Indian fishermen, who were sentenced to death for alleged drug trafficking. During the meeting, which lasted for nearly 30 minutes, the two leaders discussed important bilateral and regional issues. This is the third meeting between the two leaders since more..

Nov 26 (AP) The Sri Lankan opposition's presidential candidate said Wednesday he would scrap the country's virtually all-powerful presidential system within 100 days if he is elected and would govern through an all-party govt in the interim. Former Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena announced his candidacy last week after leading a revolt in President Rajapaksa's govt. The main opposition UNP has pledged to support him at the election to be held Jan. 8. more..

Nov 26 (CT) Members of the All Ceylon Muslim Congress (ACMC), who represent the UPFA in Eastern Provincial Council, have decided to withdraw from its alliance with UPFA and function as an independent political entity, ACMC Deputy Leader, N.M. Shaheid, said. He said the ACMC's apex body, known as the People's Representative Committee, met on Monday night to decide whether to cross over to the Opposition. However, a final decision will be taken on Saturday. more..

Nov 26 (AD) Embassy of Sri Lanka in Moscow, says that Russian Agriculture Ministry has granted approval to import fish and fish products to Russia from Sri Lanka, and already some 14 SL fish exporting companies had sought to export their products. These companies would also have the added advantage of exporting their products to Belarus and Kazakhstan since these countries have established a ‘Customs Union’ more..

Nov 26 (AD) Former UNP MP and Opposition Leader of the Uva PC Harin Fernando said there was a conspiracy to leave him out of political programmes on television ahead of the upcoming present election. Education Minister Bandula Gunawardena and UPFA MP Ramesh Pathirana yesterday refused to engage In a debate with Fernando on the "waada pitiya" political talk show yesterday, on the grounds that Fernando was a Provincial Councilor. more..

Nov 26 (AD) While Indian PM Narendra Modi today thanked the President for pardoning and sending back TN fishermen who were on death row over drug smuggling charges, leader of JHU Ven. Omalpe Sobitha Thero slammed the govt’s decision to commute the death sentence. Thero issuing a statement expressed that govt’s ruling to release the fishermen has encouraged and gave ‘green light’ for the Indian drug lords to continue their smuggling through the sea. more..

Nov 26 (GDI) President Rajapaksa has called on all SAARC countries to join forces against external threats. “While SAARC practice has been to abstain from involvement in bilateral issues of a political nature, we must resist external manipulations,” President Rajapaksa said. “It would be morally in keeping with the SAARC spirit to join forces against external threats on member states.” He made these remarks while addressing more..

Nov 27 (CT) Like the majority of my fellow citizens I am an undecided voter. My father Mervyn de Silva used to characterize me slightly critically, as “a Romantic”, and the romantic in me would like to vote for change. But right now, I cannot make that decision because the Realist in me raises a fundamental question: “who rules?” Or rather, who would rule, if Mr. Sirisena wins? Sadly, the answer to that question is not “Mr. Sirisena, would, of course”. That is because Mr. Sirisena has more..

Nov 27 (GV) At last, the Supreme Court’s opinion on the President’s reference has seen the light of day, albeit unofficially, and it makes for miserable reading. The feature that stands out in the opinion is not only the unctuous tone which the Court has adopted in responding to the President’s request for an opinion, but also the sanctimonious view it has taken of the importance of its own opinion given in an advisory capacity, and the un-judicial language with which it has chosen to more..

Nov 27 (SO) Obstetrics and Gynaecology are the oldest among medical sciences, for it should have begun with the very primitive humans. Over the past few centuries it has evolved as the most advanced medical science ensuring that childbirth is not a matter of life and death. Maternity wards and hospitals across the world are mostly continuing to record either nil maternal/infant mortality or very negligible of rate of mortality, more..

Nov 27 (CT) The Floating Market is one of a kind. A brainchild of Gotabaya Rajapaksa, it was built by the UDA at a cost of Rs.100 million. Its row of shops-on-boats looks rather quaint from afar. Closer encounters, reportedly, are not so pleasing. The shops have no proper walls or doors. Instead they have loosely woven coir-covers which provide no impediment to inclement elements or robbers. Every night the shop-owners face a Hobson’s choice: do they carry their merchandise home more..

Nov 27 (CT) Maithri changed after he went to Harvard, says Mahinda, to everyone these days. So Mahinda is trying to indicate that the United States is behind Maithri's pole vault. In June 2013, the Harvard School of Public Health recognized Maithtri as '2013 Harvard Health Leader' and gave him an award. But now only Mahinda says that Maithri changed after that visit. However, somewhere in 2011, Maithri met a diplomat in charge of political affairs when Patricia Butenis was the more..

Nov 27 (CT) Doctors are undoubtedly a key component in the health sector in any country. In the context of a free healthcare system, doctors play a key role. In an interview with CT GMOA President, Dr. Anuruddha Padeniya, highlighted the shortcomings in the health sector and noted areas that need improvement. He emphasized that the entire human resources structure of the health sector should be changed. more..

Nov 27 (SL) Some may call our country, the Land of the Lotus Eaters; others the Pearl of the Orient, it has always been the Resplendent Isle and to cynics the Land of Hope and Gory (sic). Quite recently it has been the Land of the Miracles and the Land of Hubs (so many). But right now undeniably it is the Land of Promises. Switch on the radio, TV or open a newspaper: there are promises and promises being made. The executive presidency will be abolished, Poverty eradicated, ‘We will become more..

Nov 27 (NS) The Presidential Election is at present the concern of everyone. Many ideas are mooted by patriotic persons and most are of the opinion that many changes have to be done. Some changes suggested such as changing the Constitution is something that cannot be done within a short space of time. The demand on everyone’s lips is that the Executive Presidency should be abolished. It is said that the powers vested in the Executive President have enabled a dictator to emerge and more..

Nov 27 (CT) Secretary to the Ministry of Buddha Sasana and Religious Affairs, M.K.B. Dissanayake, believes there is no harm in allowing organizations such as Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) to operate as pressure groups, as they sometimes help solve issues that have been prevailing for a long time. He also expresses the need to have stronger Immigration Laws to stop extremists groups from coming into the country. more..

Nov 27 (Island) The budget vote came to pass without mass crossovers. However, anything is possible within the next few weeks with the Opposition and the govt all out to spring surprises for each other. Another govt MP defected to the UNP yesterday. The UPFA has been hoist with its own petard. It weakened the Opposition by engineering crossovers and now it has come to be troubled by defections. The Opposition vilified its members who joined the govt by claiming more..

Nov 27 (Island) Text of speech by SEC Chairman Dr Nalaka Godahewa on ‘Corporate Governance’ at the Directors Symposium for the NBFI sector. I would like to thank the Central Bank for giving me this opportunity to address the Directors Symposium on a topic which is of great significance to the economic development of our country. I am sure that the topic ‘Corporate Governance’ is quite familiar to all of you. You would also agree with me that it is a constantly evolving subject. more..

Nov 27 (FT) It all began with the stars. It was apt therefore that less than 24 hours after President Mahinda Rajapaksa declared he would be seeking a third term in office two years ahead of schedule, certain celestial bodies began to wreak all manner of mischief inside his ruling party. Believers in astrology put last week’s political dramas down to the influence of the planet Saturn, the ‘Great Malefic’ of the astrological firmament. more..

Nov 27 (CT) A total of 14 Pacific Islands want to seek Sri Lanka's equity and expertise in the areas of tourism and hotels along with the infrastructure development and education. "We are a part of a delegation which are here, which will seek the expertise of the Sri Lankan corporate sector and we will be shortly talking to them," Trade Commissioner of the Pacific Island Trade and Investment Commission Michael Greenslade told Ceylon FT yesterday in an exclusive interview. more..

Nov 27 (ST) A couple of years ago during a local govt election campaign, a group of activists from the then ruling party came visiting houses in the Nugegoda/Nawala area with the usual greetings and one ‘strange’ question: “How many of the occupants registered as voters are working abroad or living abroad?” When they walked into the garden of a journalist, his angry response to this, then peculiar question coming from a group that was not authorized to ask such questions, was, more..

Nov 27 (CI) Moeen Ali produced an abundant one-day innings to raise horizons and rouse spirits, but it will take more than a one-man masterclass, however brilliant, to turn England into fancied World Cup contenders. Moeen clocked the third fastest ODI hundred in England's history, but ultimately it was Sri Lanka whose 25-run victory gave them first strike in the seven-match series. To surpass Sri Lanka's 317 for 6, England would more..

Nov 27 (CI) England have only ever chased 300 twice in their history and Alastair Cook has not been in great nick over the last 18 months, so when Angelo Mathews won an lbw decision against his opposite number from the third ball of the innings, the die looked to be cast. Consultation with Moeen Ali at the other end encouraged Cook to review and although the ball pitched in line with leg stump and looked to have straightened enough, Hawk Eye decided it would have gone over top of off. more..

Nov 27 (CT) Navatkuli residents are up in arms against Nallur Pradeshiya Sabha for continuously dumping garbage on a private land (22 perches) in Navatkuli for the past five days. When the Nallur Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman P. Vasanthakumar was contacted he admitted to the fault saying that they had not obtained permission from the owner of the land prior to dumping of garbage. However, the owner of the land had sent a letter to the Chairman explaining his dissatisfaction more..

Nov 27 (CT) A 24-year-old youth was arrested by the TID on Tuesday in Jaffna - Meesalai for allegedly being in possession of LTTE Heroes' Day posters. Suspect identified as Weerasingham Sulakshan was handed over to the TID and his computer was also confiscated for investigation. Koddikamam and Jaffna Police denied the arrest but NPC member Sayanthan said that the youth was arrested. more..

Nov 27 (LBO) Sri Lanka’s banking sector needs new products and services to be competitive in the sector and to drive growth, Central Bank Governor Nivard Cabraal said. “Many foreign banks have come to us and talked about various new products and services,” Nivard Cabraal, Governor of Central said. “But we hardly see a Sri Lankan bank come to us to talk about new inventions other than lending.” Governor was addressing directors’ symposium 2014 held Colombo on Wednesday, more..

Nov 27 (FT) Global property portal Lamudi will host a conference for the real estate industry in Sri Lanka on 11 December at the BMICH. The local conference is part of a worldwide series of events being held in the countries Lamudi is present in, during the months of November and December across: Asia, the Middle East, Latin America and Africa, with speakers from some of the top real estate agencies and firms in the regions. Conference in Sri Lanka will consist of a more..

Nov 27 (CT) 4,000-strong Lawyers' Collective (LC) pledged their unstinted support for the common candidate, Maithripala Sirisena, adding that they would also be speaking at every rally of Sirisena's political campaign highlighting the need to abolish the Executive Presidency. Chairman of the Standing Committee on Rule of Law of the Bar Association of SL (BASL) and Convenor for Lawyers for Democracy, more..

Nov 27 (CH) It’s telling that author Shyam Selvadurai initially had trouble finding the appropriate material for the irreverent Way Back When event at the University of Calgary, which will have Selvadurai and fellow writers Ian Williams, Aritha van Herk and Larissa Lai reading “embarrassing” material they wrote as teenagers. It’s not that the Giller-shortlisted author wasn’t game, but when he went into his parent’s basement in suburban Toronto to search for some of the more..

Nov 27 (DN) 17 members of the Korean Press Corps will arrive in Sri Lanka today. They will be here to monitor KOICA's activities. They will be in Sri Lanka until Nov 30. Their scheduled program includes a meeting with Minister Bandula Gunawardane. Education Ministry is one of the key partners of KOICA after implementing several student centred projects. The projects include human development through quality education, improving access to quality education in more..

Nov 27 (PTI) Sri Lanka has "reassured" that it would not do anything against the security interest of India, the govt said, in the backdrop of visits by a Chinese submarine to Colombo port. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj informed Lok Sabha that the govt has taken up with Sri Lanka the recent visits of a Chinese submarine in Colombo and the neighbouring country has informed that the vessel visited for "replenishment" purposes. more..

Nov 27 (MoD) Ranaviru Sewa Authority performs a commendable service to uplift the living standard of the valiant war heroes. They are well aware that we continue to look after them, said Secretary Defence Gotabaya Rajapaksa today (26). He expressed these sentiments while addressing the gathering at a function organized to present 'Letters of Service Confirmation' for non-permanent (contract-basis) Management Assistant (grade III officers) of the Ranaviru Seva Authority (RSA) more..

Nov 27 (CT) Capital Maharaja Organization Limited (TCMOL), one of the largest private business conglomerates in Sri Lanka, has won the 'Best Run Award in ERP – Emerging Enterprise' at SAP ACE Award 2014, the most coveted customer focused award by the global ERP solutions leader. Award was received by Eshini Mudalige, Group Director, TCMOL and Nalaka Seneviratne, Chief Finance Manager, TCMOL at a glittering ceremony which concluded on 12 Nov, in Mumbai. more..

Nov 27 (Hindu) Sri Lanka may consider releasing the Indian boats in its custody soon after verifying details of ownership, BJP leader Subramanian Swamy said here on Wednesday. “I have given a list of the boat numbers and their owners to the Defence Secretary, explaining that many of them belong to poor fishermen and not rich trawler-owners,” he said, after a meeting with Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Defence Secretary, more..

Nov 27 (Island) Kalmunai police yesterday morning arrested a UPFA Urban Councillor for assaulting two SLMC Urban Councillors. The incident occurred inside the Kalmunai Urban Council on Tuesday, while the council meeting was on and they even threw chairs at each other according to a video clip. Tthe suspect had been produced before the Kalmunai Magistrate yesterday morning and then the police officer had been ordered to take the suspect to the Ampara Magistrate as more..