Nov 30 (ST) As the Government set about collecting revenue from direct taxes, Inland Revenue Commissioner General Kalyani Dahanayake has asked the tax department and state banks to be kept open during the weekend and staff to be courteous to all taxpayers. Bank of Ceylon and People’s Bank head offices are to remain open today to accommodate last minute tax returns to beat the November 30 deadline. more..

Nov 30 (DN) In considering the popularity of Beauty Culture and Culinary Arts among rural young women the govt will introduce and hold such courses island wide to educate them, Minister Gayantha Karunatilake said. He was addressing a function held to award certificates and gifts to students who had successfully followed and completed the Dress Making course. He was the chief guest at the ceremony held recently more..

Nov 30 (Island) The Opposition in NPC charges that Chief Minister C.V. Vigneswaran neglects regional issues and concentrates more on national and international ones which MPs should attend to. NPC Opposition leader Sinnathurai Thavarajah who describes Vigneswaran as a nice and respectable person is, however of the view that former SC judge tuned politician is weak in administering the council and it’s affairs. more..

Nov 30 (DM) At least 17 reserved forests in five districts in the Northern and the Eastern Provinces are being cleared with the initiative of several Muslim ministers representing the receptive areas. Environmental Conservation Trust (ECT) charged that a total of 16,500 acres of reserved forests in Vanuniya, Mullaithivu and Ampara Districts are being cleared in the guise of resettling of internally displaced persons and for cultivation. more..

Nov 30 (LBO) Railway Trade Union Alliance has urged the President and PM to stop importing what they called substandard locomotives from India. Alliance said that two separate cabinet papers are to be submitted to the cabinet seeking approval to import locomotives, power sets, and railway carriages as well as to construct railways. Previous M–8 and M–10 types of engines imported from India has a very weak level of performance more..

Nov 30 (EN) Sri Lanka's continued high deficit target of 5.9% of GDP with total spending set to rise to 22.3% of GDP from a recent 18 - 19%, will be negative for sovereign credit, Moody's, a rating agency said. There higher expenditure set aside for education, health and infrastructure. In 2015 the deficit is also expected at 5.9% of GDP. "If implemented, such spending would enhance growth prospects but would further delay Sri Lanka’s more..

Nov 30 (EN) Sri Lanka's commercial banks could be hit by a triple whammy of higher corporate and deemed value added taxes, loss of leasing business and a state guarantee on finance company deposits may also shift money out by the budget for 2016, a research report said. "We take a negative view on the Commercial Banking industry with the changes introduced in the 2016 budget proposals," Asia Securities, said in a report. more..

Nov 30 (Island) The govt is expected to take up with India major defects in the northern and Medawachchiya-Talaimannar railway tracks two of the biggest rehabilitation projects undertaken by the previous administration following the conclusion of the war in May 2009. Transport Secretary Nihal Somaweera confirmed that a report prepared by a three-member panel of experts had been received and brought to the notice of Minister more..

Nov 30 (CT) Two things are infinite. The universe and human folly. SriLankan Airlines with an accumulated debt of Rs.158 Billion is to be restructured and repositioned. It is a prayer and a hope that holds little promise. Announcing the restructuring of the national carrier, the Minister of Finance promised to convert it, in to a regional airline focused on profitable destinations. This he said, will be achieved by professional management inclusive of local and foreign experts. more..

Nov 30 (CT) Aldous Huxley once wrote "Man is so intelligent that he feels impelled to invent theories to account for what happens in the world. Unfortunately, he is not quite intelligent enough, in most cases, to find correct explanations. So that when he acts on his theories, he behaves very often like a lunatic." Human error has always been our curse and it's not going to go away soon. In recent reports from several parties, which included Police Traffic Division and National Hospital. more..

Nov 30 (CI) West Indies spinner Sunil Narine has been suspended from bowling in international cricket with immediate effect after his action was found to be illegal. An independent assessment revealed that all variations of his deliveries exceeded the 15-degree limit. Narine's action was reported earlier this month during the third ODI against Sri Lanka in Pallekele. In accordance with Article 6.1 of the regulations, "Narine's international suspension will also be recognised and enforced by more..

Nov 30 (Island) A burglar who had entered a shop at Narangoda, Tewatte in Ragama yesterday died due to severe burns after he had set ablaze the retail outlet when the owner locked the rear door from outside and threatened to inform the police. The victim was pronounced dead on admission to the Ragama Hospital. Having found the rear door of his shop ajar and a man inside, the owner of the shop had locked the door. Fearing police were on their way to arrest him, robber set the shop on fire. more..

Nov 30 (DM) PHU condemned the manner in which Police Special Investigation Unit (SIU) was investigating the fraud alleged to have been committed by PHU General Secretary Udaya Gammanpila. It said two SIU officers had been sent to Australia, country of residence of businessman Brian Chaddick, to carry out their investigations into the fraud. Mr. Chaddick had earlier alleged that he had been deprived more..

Nov 30 (Reuters) Shares fell to a more than seven-and-a-half-month closing low on Monday, led by blue chips such as John Keells Holdings and Commercial Bank of Ceylon on worries earnings of financial firms would fall after the new budget proposals announced were implemented. The main stock index ended 0.75%, or 52.26 points, weaker at 6,909.15, its lowest close since April 10. "Nothing much is happening with very low retail and high net worth investor participation," more..

Nov 30 (RNZ) Refugee advocates are concerned for a Sri Lankan asylum seeker on Nauru who has been jailed after he attempted to commit suicide at the detention centre there. The Tamil Refugee Council, based in Australia, says the 30-year-old man climbed up a tree where he stayed for nine hours on Sunday, and was threatening to jump. The Council's spokesperson, Aran Mylvaganam says his refugee application was rejected recently, after being in detention for two and a half years. more..

Nov 30 (DM) UPFA MP Bandula Gunawardane criticised budget proposal to impose charges on cash withdrawals by bank customers. Govt through the 2016 budget has proposed to impose charges on cash withdrawals which exceed Rs. 1 million. Accordingly, a 2% of a charge would be acquired by the govt when a customer withdraws cash between Rs. 1 million to 10 million. Those who are withdrawing cash amounts more..

Nov 30 (Island) Deputy Minister Ranjan Ramanayake said he would not have been so outspoken if he had been married. He mentioned that successful persons such as Leonardo de Vinci, Atal Behari Vajpayee, Dudley Senanayake, Usain Bolt were not married. He said that many politicians who indulged in corruption did so because they had their parents, wives and children to look-after. "My parents are dead. I’m not married and obviously I do not have a wife or child to look after. more..

Nov 30 (CG) Eastern University students are threatening to stage a protest against the suspension of a student of the Faculty of Commerce and Management without a proper inquiry. The student had been reportedly unfairly suspended for two weeks and the Eastern University students’ union says he is now unable to stay at the university hostel. University students’ union has requested the administration of the university to conduct a proper injury and take reasonable action more..

Nov 30 (CG) Indian army today offered Sri Lanka technical assistance to upgrade the military requirements in the Sri Lanka army. Indian Army Chief, General Dalbir Singh Suhag made the offer when he met his Sri Lankan counterpart, Lieutenant General Crishanthe De Silva at the army headquarters in Colombo today. During the discussion, both General Dalbir Singh and Lieutenant General Crishanthe De Silva more..

Nov 30 (DM) Sri Lanka’s maritime and aviation aspects had become key pillars of economic development due to the peaceful environment after the conflict, Defence Secretary Karunasena Hettiarachchi said today. Delivering keynote address at the Air Symposium 2015 organised by the Sri Lanka Air Force, Mr. Hettiarachchi said both the maritime and aviation industry in the country had been critically threatened by terrorism during the 30 years conflict. more..

Nov 30 (DM) Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne urged the Govt Medical Officers Association (GMOA) to have talks with the Govt to address their issues. A statement by the Health Ministry quoited the Minister as saying, having discussions and not protesting, is the best was to resolve any issue. The Minister said that the GMOA never had talks with him on the vehicle permit issue mentioned in the budget or increasing the basic salary of Government doctors by Rs. 10,000. more..

Nov 30 (EN) Sri Lanka's new administration may give a lump sum to state workers in lieu of a tax slashed car, according to a proposal considered at a party members meeting over the weekend, while doctors were planning a strike. Sri Lanka's legislators and state workers have given themselves tax free and tax slashed cars for years, while ordinary people in the private sector & self-employed were taxed at more..

Nov 30 (DM) The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has commended the leadership that Sri Lanka has provided for the Colombo Process (CP) - the Regional Consultative Process on the management of overseas employment and contractual labour for countries of origins in Asia. IOM Director General Ambassador William Lacy Swing has noted that the outcome of the 3rd CP Senior Officials Meeting held in Colombo projects the prospects for further progress. more..

Nov 30 (Island) Deepani de Alwis, Canadian born Sri Lankan Pianist received the Canadian National Gold Medal for Licenciate Piano for 2015 from the Royal Conservatory of Music at a grand convocation ceremony in Toronto on 22nd Nov. The award was based on the results of the Licentiate exam of the Royal Conservatory of Music (LRCM) held last June in which she obtained First Class Honours with Distinction, getting a stunning 95% of the marks and coming first in the country. more..

Nov 30 (Island) Alleging that country’s post-war stability was at risk due to the shortsighted policies of the govt, a group of Opposition activists has launched a campaign to highlight what it calls the rapidly deteriorating security situation. National University Teachers Association and the Kandy Association of Scholars and Professionals last week agreed to campaign against what a spokesperson called controversial more..

Nov 30 (GDI) The main mechanism is working society and not the State. Let us give an opportunity for people to go forward with their own efforts and for that we should enhance their skills, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Harsha de Silva said. He made this observation joining the second reading of the budget debate in Parlimanet today. This access is very important. Many during the Budget, debate on several matters, but no constructive criticisms are presented. more..

Nov 30 (DM) Bribery Commission officials today told the Magistrate they were awaiting the Commission's advice on arresting the Narahenpita Police OIC when the Crimes OIC's lawyer told Court that the OIC should also be arrested. Narahenpita Police Crimes Branch OIC Tissa Suagathapala was earlier arrested by Bribery officers on charges of having accepted a bribe of Rs.2.5 million from a suspect, to avoid taking legal action against him in a forgery case, was re-remanded by more..

Nov 30 (DM) President Maithripala Sirisena assured that he would not take any decision under any circumstances that would compromise the national security when he met the Sri Lankan community in France today. President said he was able to restore the prestige and dignity of Sri Lanka in the global arena after a period of negative and hostile attitude towards Sri Lanka by the international community. more..

Nov 30 (EN) Sri Lanka's inflation accelerated to 3.1% in the 12-month to Nov 2015, up from 1.7% in October, amid loose monetary policy and excess liquidity in money markets. Prices rose 1.4% during the month with the Colombo Consumer Price Index rising from 182.1 to 184.7 points. Food prices rose 3% during the month. Sharp rises have been seen in the clothing and footwear sub- index which rose 18.4% in the year to Nov. Similar price increases were seen in a credit bubble in 2011. more..

Nov 30 (GDI) Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara on an official visit to France meeting with his counterpart Thierry braillard minster of sports France had very fruitful discussions on developing a mutually beneficial partnership in the field of sports. it will encompass exchange of programmes, skills, techniques, knowledge in sports and elite sports development projects, sports tourism, institutional co operation & curricular development, training opportunities for physical edu. instructors more..

Nov 30 (PTI) DMK chief Karunanidhi today urged the Centre to get in touch with the Army Chief General Dalbir Suhag, now in Sri Lanka, to facilitate talks with that govt so as to end problems faced by Indian fishermen. "Indian Army chief Dalbir Singh has gone to Sri Lanka on a four-day visit. Centre should get in touch him and talk with that govt immediately to end the continuing problems of Indian fishermen," he said referring to more..