Oct 24 (ST) Only a lucky few know that burst of excitement on being told they’ve won a large sum of money. For some it’s a different story, with happiness turning to nightmare when they discover they have fallen prey to a scam. The victims range from well-educated professionals to farmers. “All the complaints received on the subject follow the same pattern,” the Deputy Director of Compliance at the TRC, Menaka Pathirana, said. more..

Oct 24 (CG) UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and President Sirisena have reaffirmed their commitment to work together as Sri Lanka today marked 60 years since becoming a Member State. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said that the 70th anniversary of the UN is an opportunity to highlight its many and enduring achievements — and to strengthen our collective resolve to do more to promote peace and security, more..

Oct 24 (Island) Second Mandate of Paranagama Commission prepared after having obtained international legal and military opinion has strongly justified the killing or capturing of LTTE leader V Prabhakaran during the final phase of the Vanni offensive. Troops recovered Prabhakaran’s body on the morning of May 19, 2009, on the banks of the Nanthikadal lagoon. Commission faulted UNSG Ban Ki-moon’s Panel of Expert (PoE) more..

Oct 24 (Island) The GMOA yesterday said it was willing to give the Director General Health Services (DGHS) time till Nov. 15 to fully implement the annual transfers (2012 to 2015). GMOA Secretary, Dr Nalinda Herath said the DGHS had pledged to ensure that the pending transfers would be implemented during a special week known as the Transfer Implementation Week, which was to commence on Nov. 09. more..

Oct 24 (DN) The outcome at the UNHRC in September would have been different if the govt did not change at the Jan 8th Presidential Election, Minister Gayantha Karunathileke said in Parliament. He said this when the report of the UNHRC was taken up for debate for a 2nd day. He reiterated that all investigations pertaining to the proposals cited in the report of UN Human Rights Commissioner will be held under a domestic inquiry. more..

Oct 24 (Island) Former External Affairs Minister, Prof. G. L. Peiris alleged that an attempt was being made to confuse the public regarding an opinion expressed by Sir Desmond de Silva on the issue of wartime accountability. Prof. Peiris said: "There is an opinion by Sir Desmond de Silva, QC which was submitted to the Commission on Missing Persons. This is an opinion which was published in the Oct 18 issue of The Island. more..

Oct 24 (Xinhua) China attaches great importance to Sri Lanka's economic and social development needs, Chinese Ambassador Yi Xianliang said. Addressing the inauguration ceremony of the China-Sri Lanka study center, ambassador said as Sri Lanka's traditional friend, China looked to further strengthen its cooperation with the Sri Lankan Bhuddist community as both nations shared Bhuddism as its majority. more..

Oct 24 (DN) A resident in Naranwita, Gampola has filed a case in Gampola Courts claiming Rs. 200 million as damages from six doctors at the Gampola Hospital saying a pregnant mother admitted to the hospital in a serious condition died due to alleged medical negligence on their part. When the case was called before Gampola District Judge and Magistrate Upul Rajakaruna, the six doctors named in the petition were noticed to appear in court when the case is called on Feb 2 next year. more..

Oct 24 (CT) In the recent history of Sri Lanka’s ethnic conflict, the month of October signifies exodus, having witnessed two major conflict induced displacements in the 1990s. This article is the Part I of a four parts series which compares the two mass expulsions of people in Sri Lanka in the month of October. First exodus was in October 1990, the second one in Oct 1995. These two expulsions directly affected more than 500,000 people, increasing the total number of displaced more..

Oct 24 (Island) Amidst the often tortuous and boring abundance of advertisements promoting candidates seeking election in the run up to the August 17 General Election, there was one ad that stood out for its clarity and unambiguous statement. This well produced and impactful ad in Sinhala, was presented in the depiction of a classroom in a regular school, where the teacher was advising students on best standards of social behavior more..

Oct 24 (CT) It may sound a trifle strange, two gentleman separated by vast stretches of geographic terrain, having ruled their respective nations for just under ten years, animus for each other well known along with their strategic dislike for Muslims ousted just about the same year and quite comprehensively too. Uncomfortable as it may seem, they had to countenance surprising electoral defeats not because they had under-performed or got marginalized electorally. more..

Oct 24 (Island) A leadership guru John C. Maxwell in his latest book says "Leaders become great, not because of their power, but because of their ability to empower others". Every year the 24th October arrives with the memory of a great leader of Sri Lanka who fits this notion in every respect. Year 2015 marks the 21st death anniversary of this visionary, intellectual and charismatic leader, Gamini Dissanayake who was assassinated in 1994 by brutal forces of separatist terrorism. more..

Oct 24 (EN) SL rupee is in a new equilibrium after a float in September, with the currency down 7% against the US dollar over 2015, Deputy Governor Ananda Silva said. The economy was expected to grow by 5.7% and current account deficit to narrow to 2% of GDP. Private credit was about 307 billion rupees so far this year and the monetary authority originally expected private credit to grow by around 400 to 450 billion rupees. more..

Oct 24 (FT) Colombo 10 is well on its way to becoming an important commercial hub and a go-to destination for IT infrastructure and other development projects, a leading research institute said. Speaking at the annual Real Estate Conference organised by Lamudi Lanka Ltd. CEO of Research Intelligence Unit (RIU) Roshan Madawela said that recent city beatification initiatives had transformed what was once a concrete jungle into a modern suburb that is green, more..

Oct 24 (DM) Veteran actor and singer Christy Leonard Perera who was a popular artiste in the fifties and sixties, passed away this morning. Born in Colombo in 1932, Christy was educated at St. Lucia’s College Kotahena. He joined the Radio Ceylon as a comedy artist in 1948 and later recorded songs like Kullen Pola Pola, Amma Kiya Kiyatha Heki Ekama Landakatai, Mamai Bada Pissa and others. He had also sung a duet – Hitha Yana Atha Yannata Heka - with Gamini Fonseka. more..

Oct 24 (CI) Part-time offspinner Kraigg Brathwaite, who had managed only three wickets in 81 first-class matches before this Test, claimed figures of 11.3-4-29-6 to run through SL's middle and lower order, but contrasting forties from Milinda Siriwardana and Angelo Mathews set the visitors a target of 244. However, Brathwaite then get out for a scratchy 3, minutes before scheduled tea as rain ended the session and eventually more..

Oct 24 (CI) 3: First-class wickets by Brathwaite before this Test. He had not taken more than a wicket in a match before and had bowled in only 19 innings in the 81 first-class games he had played before this one. 1957: The last time a bowler who had also opened in the Test returned better figures than Kraigg Brathwaite's 6 for 29 in Sri Lanka's second innings. Frank Worrell had figures of 7 for 70 in the Headingley Test. Including Worrell's there have been only 8 better bowling returns by more..

Oct 24 (Island) SL’s total govt revenue is 13% of the local GDP, which is inadequate compared to other economies in the region, whose revenue is more than 20% or plus of their GDP, Executive Director IPS Dr Saman Kelegama said. "The new govt came to power with numerous election pledges, including pay hikes to employees. Besides, repayment of interest for loans raised by the govt, payment of pensions for retired public servants, development activities and other recurrent expenditure more..

Oct 24 (CG) In 2004, a calamitous tsunami killed an estimated 36,000 people as 30-metre high walls of water lashed its low-lying coastal plains. Triggered by an earthquake near the Indonesian island of Sumatra, that can’t be blamed on climate change. But it underlined the country’s vulnerability to natural disasters, some of which will be stoked by warming temperatures in future. That concern suffuses a seven-page document more..

Oct 24 (Island) State Minister Mohan Lal Grero said that 1,000 more undergraduates in the Moratuwa University would get hostel facilities soon as one building to accommodate female undergraduates was nearing completion and a new building would be constructed for male students. He promised undergraduates hostel facilities, a main demand of students, during a recent visit to the university. The State Minister visited the university on a request made by the Students’ Union. more..

Oct 24 (Island) The Hotel Workers Centre of Inter Company Employees Union recently requested the new Tourism Minister John Amaratunga to meet them for a discussion on issues faced by the hotel employees. Wasantha Samarasinghe, the spokesman for the union alleged that though most hotels charged a 10% service charge from customers, the total amount was not passed on to the employees and part of it was retained by the hotels. "There are so many discrepancies in more..

Oct 24 (DM) A group of Army officers, who were reinstated in active service following a Cabinet approval, are scheduled to meet Army Commander Crishantha De Silva on Monday. More than 40 officers and other ranks of the Sri Lanka Army and the Navy, who were sent on compulsory retirement in 2010, were reinstated following a review by a special committee appointed by President Maithripala Sirisena. more..

Oct 24 (Island) The Food and Hotel Seychelles 2015, Exhibition which opened in Victoria yesterday, was an ideal opportunity to promote trade, economic and tourism ties with Seychelles, Sri Lanka’s new High Commissioner here, Dr. Tikiri Gunathilake said. A Culinary Competition and the first Seychelles LifeStyle Show is also being held alongside. Addressing the second edition of the event, at which Seychelles Minister of Tourism and Culture Alain St. Ange was the Chief Guest, Gunathillake said more..

Oct 24 (CG) An accident between a passenger bus and a lorry injured 35 people and of them 25 were admitted to the Dambulla hospital. The accident took place at Inamalluwa in Dambulla early this morning. The passenger bus was heading to Colombo from Pollonaruwa when it crashed into the lorry transporting cement. The bus driver had claimed that his vehicle had crashed into the rear end of the lorry which was parked on the road without the rear lights on. more..

Oct 24 (FT) A long-felt need to promote and nurture Sino-Lanka relations was realised on 22 Oct, with the inauguration of the China-Sri Lanka Cooperation Studies Centre (CSLCSC) at the headquarters of the Pathfinder Foundation (PF), by Ambassador of China in Sri Lanka Yi Xianliang. China has been a steadfast friend of Sri Lanka during the long period of the armed conflict that ended in 2009. more..

Oct 24 (Island) DLF leader Vasudeva Nanayakkara said, in Parliament, that the countries interests had been subjugated to America’s geo-political agenda by the incumbent govt. Participating in debate on UNHRC report and alleged human rights violations during the last phase of the war, MP Nanayakkara said: "Sri Lanka is fast becoming an American puppet. Time was when this country was ruled by a similar regime some decades ago. It was under President J R. Jayewardene’s tenure. more..

Oct 24 (DN) Minister Lakshman Kiriella informed Parliament that PM Ranil Wickremesinghe has intervened to give clearance for NFF Leader MP Wimal Weerawansa to visit Europe. MP Weerawansa was at the BIA in the wee hours of yesterday to travel to Italy as part of his official tour to Europe, but, was detained for the passport he was using had expired. "We know that no matter where he goes, he will definitely return to the country. That is why PM took measures to more..

Oct 24 (CG) Deputy Minister Dr Harsha de Silva attended the 15th Meeting of the Council of Ministers of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) in Padang, Indonesia. IORA is the only regional organization consisting coastal nations bordering the Indian Ocean and seven dialogue partners consisting of the world’s leading economies. IORA performs as a regional forum for strengthening economic, socio-cultural and more..

Oct 24 (DN) The truth, justice, reparation and non-recurrence are the crucial words in the process in achieving true reconciliation, Opposition Leader R. Sampanthan said in Parliament. Participating in the adjournment debate, he welcomed the initiative of the All Party Meeting chaired by the President. "All political party leaders and representatives, who met at the Presidential Secretariat on Thursday accepted that there must be a speedy solution to address the national question," he said. more..

Oct 24 (Island) Transport Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva on Tuesday assured that new technology and equipment would be provided to airports to develop the country’s civil aviation services. He was speaking at the celebration of International Air Traffic Controllers’ Day organised by the Air Traffic Controllers’ Association of Sri Lanka at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel in Colombo. The Minister said that he would take steps to give foreign training to Sri Lankan air traffic controllers. more..

Oct 24 (DN) Udalagama Commission which inquired into seven cases of grave violation of human rights at the beginning of Eelam War IV, has pointed an accusing finger at the STF of the SL police in the case relating to the killing of six Tamil students at Trinco beach on Jan 2, 2006. In the case relating to killing of 16 Tamil and one Muslim staff member of French NGO Action Contre La Faim at Mutur on Aug 4, 2006, it blamed the LTTE. more..

Oct 24 (Island) Total govt expenditure for the next year has been estimated at around 1,941 billion rupees with Defence Ministry budget taking the lion’s share with a sum of more than Rs 306 billion in the Appropriation Bill 2016 presented to Parliament yesterday. It is the first full budget of the new govt, which previously presented a mini-budget on Jan. 29, this year. Of the total expenditure for 2016, Rs. 1,314 billon will be for recurrent expenditure and Rs. 626 billion for capital expenditure. more..

Oct 24 (DN) Sri Lankan housemaid who was brutally assaulted in Kuwait by a group of Sri Lankan women working at a job recruitment branch, arrived at the BIA yesterday. Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) officials made arrangements to bring Y.S Thilakalatha's to the country on the directive of Minister Thalatha Athukorala. Bureau officials yesterday said investigations into the assault will continue while the woman will be ensured continued legal assistance. more..

Oct 24 (CI) Kraigg Brathwaite, owner of three first-class wickets, wasn't so sure his captain Jason Holder believed he could take wickets when he came on to bowl the 53rd over. Through the course of the third innings, Brathwaite would be caught in a flush of self-confidence. He gutted Sri Lanka's middle and lower orders, moved his team briskly towards parity, and forcefully proved to Holder that he had been absolutely correct more..

Oct 25 (SO) Barely has the country heaved itself out of a morass of hysterical ethno-politics of one kind, than the subsequent efforts to take national politics on to a plane of inter-ethnic dialogue and inter-class alliances are marred by a competition-driven return to ethnic innuendo. For some time, those defeated political elements that once thrived on the Tiger bogeyman kept harping on that theme until a second electoral defeat at parliamentary level demonstrated public boredom with it. more..

Oct 25 (SL) President Sirisena has decided on a very democratic process to decide on a mechanism to implement the contentious UNHRC resolution. The govt would consider opinions of all political parties in this regard, he told representatives of 21 political parties in parliament as well as some representatives of those parties not in parliament. This method would not only provide opportunities for airing all diverse political views but also provide an opportunity of providing solutions rather than more..

Oct 25 (SO) Nearly five and a half years after the military defeat of the LTTE in the three-decade-long war on terrorism, everything is in place in the war-torn regions except for the sluggish pace of land release to the people from military occupation, for the resettlement process to be expedited. President Sirisena, PM Wickremesinghe, Minister D.M.Swaminathan and Deputy Minister Vijayakala Maheswaran handing over land deeds to more..

Oct 25 (ST) The much anticipated two-day adjournment debate on the resolution on Sri Lanka adopted by the UNHRC last month, saw a fair share of predictable views being expressed by some MPs. However, the release of the reports compiled by two local Commissions that looked into human rights related issues in the country, widened the scope of the debate and underlined the importance of exposing excesses during the war, instead of sweeping them under the carpet. more..

Oct 25 (Island) Presidential Commission to Inquire into Complaints of Missing Persons was set up by President Rajapaksa on 15 Aug 2013 under the chairmanship of retired High Court Judge Maxwell Paranagama. In the one and a half years that it functioned under the Rajapaksas, this was just another commission of inquiry like the many that had preceded it. Indeed one could even say that this was even more low profile and less controversial than most of the commissions that preceded it more..

Oct 25 (SL) The opposition, which includes several constituent parties of the UPFA and the SLFP, has been rallying against the proposed UNHRC mechanism to investigate alleged war crimes in the country. Even though the JVP has expressed views against the proposed involvement of Commonwealth judges and foreign experts in the proposed local judicial mechanism, the JVP views this opposition against the proposed UNHRC more..