Sep 21 (PO) Without cooperation and help of Pakistan by virtue of defense relations, Sri Lanka could never get rid of terrorism it has been facing during the previous decades, said EAS Wijayanthi Edirisinghe, Acting High Commissioner of Sri Lanka. She was addressing a seminar organized by Department of Politics and International Relations of International Islamic University (IIU) held at Faisal Masjid Campus. “Pakistan and Sri Lanka enjoy best defense relations,” she said more..

Sep 21 (CT) Tagged as the turning point of South Asian Tourism, the prime objectives of the conference include; Identifying priority issue faced by public and private sector organizations involved in tourism promotion in South Asia, SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry Secretary- General Iqbal Tabish said. We are expecting around 150 delegates at the conference out of which there would be over 40 from the region and this is going to be a decisive one for the tourism industry for more..

Sep 21 (CT) The IUSF writing to the govt has urged the govt to increase the enrolment to State universities, halt levying of fees in government schools, and to cancel the South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine (SAITM). IUSF Convener, Lahiru Weerasekera said there was at present many lacunas in university syllabuses and curriculums. Even those who excel at the GCE (A/L) exam are sometimes not enrolled to State universities, more..

Sep 21 (DN) Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) has blacklisted 153 foreign job agencies as they have violated the rules and regulations of the SLBFE on foreign job recruitment procedures, Kurunegala District Senior Divisional Secretary W. E. Jayathilake said. He was speaking at a meeting of prospective job seekers of the Kurunegala District held recently. During the period from 01.01.2015 to 16.09.2015, Bureau has suspended their permits temporarily. more..

Sep 21 (DN) A duel between two wild elephants - a tusker and an elephant - resulted in the death of one of the elephant. The tusker had attacked the elephant with its tusks in over than 30 places of its body inflicting deep wounds. The duel had taken place in the abandoned Kahatagollewa wewa in Kebithigollewa last Friday night. The villagers had heard the elephants’ trumpeting for hours and the elephant killed by the tusker was found in the middle of the wewa the following morning. more..

Sep 21 (Island) Professor O.A. Ileperuma said that respiratory diseases among residents of Kandy were increasing at an alarming rate due to unprecedented increase of vehicles. Increase of vehicles had caused traffic congestion on the narrow roads of Kandy and the exhaust from the vehicles was responsible for the ever rising respiratory diseases, he told a meeting held to call for re-opening of road in front of more..

Sep 21 (Island) Around 50 dogs of the Police Kennels would retire from service during the next couple of months. The police had imported 43 dogs from the Netherlands and they were currently being trained at the Divisional Headquarters in Kandy. The new dogs had cost the department around Rs. 50 million, he said. There were at present 230 dogs deployed in divisional units country wide namely Anuradhapura, Medawachchiya, Ambalangoda, Ampara, Mahaoya, Avissawella, Badulla, more..

Sep 21 (CT) Deputy Minister of Power and Renewable Energy Ajith P. Perera stated that capital punishment will not reduce the crime rate in this country, whilst opposing the view of his fellow MP, Deputy Minister of Social empowerment and Welfare, Ranjan Ramanayake. He added that the reasons for crime must be first identified adding that a cause for crime was poverty adding that the entire topic calls a serious discussion. "Reasons for crimes are different; I challenge Ranjan's view. more..

Sep 21 (DN) Presidential Commission reports on Rakna Lanka, ITN, and the Negombo Lagoon will be submitted to the President and AG by end of Oct. Secretary to the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into Large Scale Corruption and Fraud Lacille de Silva said that the investigations into these three cases are nearing completion and hopefully by October the reports will be handed over to the relevant authorities. more..

Sep 21 (FT) A VVIP and a few other top officials will be questioned by the Presidential Commission of Inquiry to Investigate and Inquire into Serious Acts of Fraud, Corruption and Abuse of Power, State Resources and Privileges (PRECIFAC) this week. The VVIP will be questioned by a team of police investigators attached to PRECIFAC. “Some people think that the commission only questions low-profile officials but by questioning the VVIP and the other former ministers and top officials, more..

Sep 21 (DN) Central Bank will establish a National Card Scheme (NCS) to deliver social security payments through NCS under the brand name LankaPay. Bank will launch the Payment and Settlement Systems (PSs) Road Map for 2016/19 through the NPC. Main objective of the proposed road map is to achieve goals in collaboration with stakeholders while encouraging connectivity with common Payment Settlement infrastructure. “SL is moving towards a less-cash society. more..

Sep 21 (Island) The govt had requested the UNHRC in Geneva and US State Department to allow it to conduct a domestic war crimes probe instead of setting up a hybrid court with international judges, Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe said. The govt had handed over copies of the written request to the high commissions and embassies in Colombo to be sent to the heads of state of the 47-member states of the UNHRC, more..

Sep 21 (DM) Medicine or the sacred art, if not the heart of healing has for centuries been revered as a vocation on the lines of the priesthood. Hippocratic Oath is an oath historically taken by physicians. In its original form, this oath which was taken during the highest era of Greek civilisation required a new physician to swear to uphold ethical standards. Hippocrates is often called the father of medicine in Western culture. The original oath was written in Ionic Greek in the late fifth century B.C. more..

Sep 21 (DM) Tweedledum and Tweedledee are toilet-trained to share a common loo as newly weds in an era of same sex marriage. A streak that runs in a national govt predominantly stuffed with members of the UNP and SLFP, which appear stable and strong: mathematically and theoretically, alas -- superficially. During bondage of two years -- no major issue will surface as UNP and SLFP can live and let live in brotherhood, thankfully, due to the perquisites provided at state expense; more..

Sep 21 (DM) Minister of Women and Child Affairs Chandrani Bandara is entrusted with the duty of playing a proactive role -- both inside and outside Parliament -- to ensure women and children’s rights are safeguarded. She explained the vital platform necessary for more female representation in the Sri Lankan economy, politics, education and industry, while highlighting the significance of empowering both women more..

Sep 21 (DM) Transport Deputy Minister Asoka Abeysinghe said the govt made it compulsory to pay 30% of the value of a vehicle to the leasing company when purchasing a vehicle on lease and it was just a temporary measure to reduce the number of new vehicles registered and not to create hardship to the purchasers of vehicles. He pointed out that one could take away a vehicle on lease without making an initial payment, more..

Sep 21 (ST) The National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) has called on authorities to strictly enforce laws against child abuse. NCPA Chairperson Natasha Balendra said there were 4,000 child abuse cases pending in courts. Ms Balendra said more officers should be appointed to handle these cases and they also needed professional training. Under the Penal Code, the minimum sentence for child rape is 10 years more..

Sep 21 (UCAN) Catholics in Sri Lanka are adding their voices to demands that authorities crack down on sexual violence against women and children. Recent high-profile cases of child abductions have outraged activists in the island nation. These include the abduction and murder of a 5-year-old girl in western Sri Lanka. The girl was kidnapped Sept. 11 while she was sleeping. Her body was found two days later. more..

Sep 21 (LBO) Sri Lanka needs to be aware of and concerned about the dangers of the environmental impact when developing its future electricity generation plans, a recent CEB report shows. “Green House Gas emissions in Sri Lanka from fuel combustion, both in absolute as well as in per capita terms are low even in comparison to other countries in South Asia,” CEB said in its long-term generation plan, now open for public discussion. more..

Sep 21 (Island) Law and Order and Prison Reforms Minister Tilak Maprapana PC calling on the prelates of Malwatte and Asgiriya Chapters said on Saturday the govt had allowed unreserved freedom to police without political interference as it would help curb crime and corruption in the country. He was responding to the prelates who said that crime such as murder and rape were increasing at an alarming rate in the country. more..

Sep 21 (DN) SLFP is expected to declare its stance on the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) report, after careful examination. SLFP Secretary Duiminda Dissanayaka said, “the report is a 250-page document. SLFP has decided to put it under heavy scrutiny.” Report was prepared in response to a US-sponsored resolution which was passed at UNHRC sessions held in March 2014. more..

Sep 21 (SL) In what will be a very significant turn of events, China and Russia may back the consensus resolution on Sri Lanka at the UNHRC, thus aligning themselves with the Unites States. Two strong critics of the US, both China and Russia have always maintained the position at the UNHRC that they are against outside interference in the domestic affairs of a country. Both countries had voted against the US sponsored resolution more..

Sep 21 (DM) From November onwards, the salaries of Sri Lankans employed in Qatar will no longer be paid in cash but through bank accounts. This has been decided by Qatar Labour Minister Abdulla Al Khulaifi after discussions with Foreign Employment Minister Thalatha Athukorala during her recent visit to Middle East. Qatar minister said the new move would ensure that the employees’ salaries were safe and secure. more..

Sep 21 (SLA) Sri Lanka’s delegation for the 3rd India - Sri Lanka Annual Defence Dialogue in New Delhi, headed by Eng. Karunasena Hettiarachchi, Secretary to Ministry of Defence, is currently attending the forum sessions, together with Army, Navy and Air Force representatives. Sri Lanka’s delegation, comprised of Eng. Karunasena Hettiarachchi, Secretary to Ministry of Defence, Lieutenant General Crishanthe De Silva, more..

Sep 21 (CT) The UNHRC in its report on Sri Lanka tabled at Geneva last week has called for a hybrid or an international cum local probe on alleged war crimes committed by the LTTE and the Govt of Sri Lanka (GoSL) from 2002 to 18 May, 2009 when the war ended. The time period covered is the mandate given by GoSL to the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission to execute such investigations in that similar time frame. GoSL and USA (after the regime change on 8 Jan, 2015 more..

Sep 21 (CT) Water is only next to air for the living of the Human Being. Contaminated water will cause diseases and even death if precautions are not taken to purify water for human consumption. Animals too need water for existence but the degree of purity differs. They are more resistive on contamination. Today water is purified in large scale with modern technology and preventive measures are taken to purify water Rivers, Lakes and other catchment areas providing drinking water. more..

Sep 21 (Island) Chairperson of the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) Dr. Natasha Balendra said that her institution had received over 6,500 complaints of child abuse so far this year. The majority of complaints had been received from Colombo District (936). Gampaha District was in second place with 688 complaints. In the year 2014, there had been 10,315 complaints of child abuse, Dr. Balendra added. She urged parents to keep a watchful eye on their children. more..

Sep 21 (DM) Former Passara Pradeshiya Sabha UNP member Rukman Rajapaksa had lodged a complaint that newly appointed Uva Province Chief Minister Chamara Sampath of the UPFA had assaulted him after a heated argument between them, Police said. Mr. Rajapaksa had had later admitted himself to the Passara District Hospital. Meanwhile, the Chief Minister rejected the charges and said the incident set up by former CM Harin Fernando. “PS member tore down some of more..

Sep 21 (EN) Sri Lanka’s main state-run pension fund’s assets are not growing as expected with net contributions in danger of turning negative unless the retirement age is extended with the workforce aging, senior analyst at a stock brokerage said. Murtaza Jafferjee, Managing Director of JB Securities, said pension fund assets are now about 1.9 trillion rupees with Employees' Provident Fund (EPF), the largest, close to 1.5 trillion rupees. more..

Sep 21 (EN) Sri Lanka is to rely heavily on more coal-fired power plants in future with several planned for the south in addition to an already planned one in the east, according to the state utilities new generation plan. CEB plans to build 1,200MW of coal power plants in the eastern Trincomalee port after a 500MW Indian unit is commissioned along with another 1,500MW in the south. The CEB’s Long Term Generation Expansion Plan 2015-2034 said the earliest possible date of commissioning more..

Sep 21 (EN) Stocks closed weaker in thin and volatile trade with strong demand seen for poultry sector shares and foreign participation rising but on the selling side. All Share Price Index lost 3.50 points or 0.05% to close at 7,104.37 while the S&P SL 20 index, lost 4.67 points (0.12%) to close at 3,881.04. Turnover was a low 667 million rupees compared with the 12-months average daily turnover of 1.4 billion rupees although crossings or off-the-floor negotiated deals accounted for 40% more..

Sep 21 (PSL) Govt has declared Sept 21 to 27 as Maritime & Naval Week. Marking the commencement of the Week a souvenir and a badge presented to President Maithripala Sirisena today. These souvenirs were presented to the President by Rohan Masakorala, President of the Maritime & Naval Week program and Senior Advisor for Ports and Aviation. This is the first time SL to hold such an event under this theme. more..

Sep 21 (Island) Thousands of local and foreign tourists were inconvenienced on Saturday when the World’s End located in the Horton Plains National Park in Nuwara Eliya was shut down for two hours by authorities citing a power outage as the reason. About 500 foreign tourists left Nuwara Eliya, hugely disappointed. Wildlife Department authorities had closed down ticket issuing office from 6.00 am to 8.00 am, claiming that the ticket counters could not function without power. more..

Sep 21 (CT) The legal community expressed concern over the fact that the process to be set in motion in enacting a new Constitution had not been clearly expressed in any of the statements that has emerged from the govt. Whilst welcoming the move by the govt to proceed immediately to draft a new Constitution, Lawyers for Democracy (LfD) noted that it was the legitimacy of a Constitution that would make it a lasting Constitution. Convener of LfD, attorney-at-law, Lal Wijenayake said that more..

Sep 21 (DM) MP Udaya Gammanpila criticised the move by India to create a bridge connecting Sri Lanka and charged the link would only work in favour of India ultimately making Sri Lanka another State of India. He said India had requested a loan of USD 5.2 billion from the ADB for the project but not once mentioned that Sri Lanka too have to share when paying the loan. “This is clear evidence that the project if more..

Sep 21 (CT) The 17-year-old girl, who went missing for three months while she was going with her mother on the road, was found by the Police and arrested when she was hiding in a house at Ampara with her lover. When the teenager residing at Thataka Road, Kegalle was walking along the road at Welimannathota on 7 July with her mother, she was abducted by a group that arrived in a three-wheeler. Thereafter based on information received by her father, Kegalle Police was tipped off. more..

Sep 21 (Xinhua) Sri Lankan govt said that a political solution for the minority Tamils will be implemented through proposed constitutional reforms. Minister Lakshman Kiriella said the govt will hold talks with the Tamil parties to reach a political solution for the North and East issue. Once a political solution is agreed upon it will be included in the constitutional reforms to be presented to Parliament for approval, he said. The Tamil parties have been demanding rights for the minority Tamils more..

Sep 21 (CG) Leftist parties raised strong objections to the members appointment to Parliament by the UPFA through the National List. DLF leader Vasudeva Nanayakara said that the UPFA members appointed to Parliament through the National List, do not have the backing of the public or Parliamnt. He noted that appointing defeated candidates to Parliament is a violation of Parliament democracy. more..

Sep 21 (LBO) The US awarded nearly $150,000 (LKR 21,000,000) to 16 civil society organizations as part of the U.S. Embassy’s annual Youth Empowerment Grants, an innovative way to provide seed funding for up-and-coming groups working on solutions to problems affecting youth across Sri Lanka. “This year’s International Day of Democracy emphasizes the critical role of civil society and local NGOs to help social and political challenges,” said U.S. Ambassador Atul Keshap. more..