Feb 11 (GDI) The Minister of Export Development and International Trade Prof. G.L. Peiris today said that retired General Sarath Fonseka was being tried for charges under the military laws enacted in 1949 and that there was nothing unusual about this. He added that if the military did not have laws it was difficult to maintain discipline in a military establishment. more..

Feb 11 (GDI) The fishing industry in the North has seen a marked increase in fish production. This follows the lifting of all fishing restrictions by the Government and the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources has planned a two-year development project in the North at a cost of 1.7 Billion rupees to provide extended facilities to the fishing community, Media Secretary to the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Jayantha Senanayeka told more..

Feb 11 (MoD) President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who visited the Navy Stall on February 4, was highly impressed by its creative outlook and praised the Navy for its ingenuity in presenting the visiting public with innovative exhibits of high educational value. People who are appreciative of Sri Lanka Navy's achievements extended their whole-hearted support, which is a great morale booster to Naval personnel. more..

Feb 11 (MoD) Bringing glory to Sri Lanka and making Sri Lanka Navy proud, Navy sports men and women won seven (07) Gold, five (05) Silver and eleven (11) Bronze medals with their splendid performances at the 11th South Asian Games(SAG) held in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The medal-winning Navy sports personnel arrived today (10) and were warmly received on their arrival at the Bandaranaike International Airport by more..

Feb 11 (LP) Minister Janaka Bandara Thennakoon, mentioned that whatever decisions were arrived at by the Northern and Eastern people in an election the programmes implement for the development of these regions will be carried out without reducing any aspect of them. Minister who pointed out that under the present government accelerated development has been initiated on the Northern and Eastern areas which more..

Feb 11 (LP) A study of new household paint sold in Sri Lanka found that many paints contained lead. The study found lead in 33 paint samples out of 33 tested, fifteen samples exceeded permitted lead levels for paint in Sri Lanka said a release issued by the Centre for Environmental Justice. The study is the first study of lead in paints conducted in Sri Lankan and global where it analyzed 19 enamel paint samples from 4 brands and 69% exceeded the current US lead in paint standard of 90ppm. more..

Feb 11 (LP) A MoU was signed at the Ministry of Labour and Man Power today to provide youth employment. This is the first occasion where a North American country has entered in to an agreement with Sri Lank said Minister of Labour and Man Power, Athauda Senevirathne. Sri Lanka will benefit immensely through this agreement and will also bring a large amount of foreign reserves to the country. more..

Feb 11 (LT) The Commissioner of Elections, who first said �he couldn�t even protect a ballot box�, later changed his stance and said he did not make such a statement and challenged those who did not believe to examine a video tape. However, at a press conference held by the UNP on the 9th a CD which included the original statement of the Commissioner of Elections was distributed among the journalists. more..

Feb 11 (LT) He never agrees with the government�s decision to arrest Gen. Sarath Foneka in a hurry, the move by the government was an immoral act, Gen. Foneka, who did a great service to the country should have been treated in a dignified manner says Mahanayakeof theAsgiriya ChapterMost Ven. Udugama Sri Buddharakkitha Thera. The Mahanayake made these observations when President of the UNP Gamini Jayawickrema Perera visited him yesterday (10th). more..

Feb 11 (LT) The police have brutally attacked the demonstration that was held at Dehiaththakandiya to protest against the illegal arrest of Common Candidate Gen. Sarath Fonseka. The police have also apprehended two journalists from �Sirasa� and �Swarnavahini� who were videoing the demonstration together with their cameras and other equipments. The peaceful demonstration was organized at Dehiaththakandiya town at 10.00 a.m. today and more..

Feb 11 (LBO) The United States government has given more aid to help Sri Lankans returning to their homes in the former northern war zone and speed up their resettlement, the US embassy said. It said in a statement the aid agency United States Agency for International Development has given 343 million rupees (three million dollars) to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). more..

Feb 11 (LT) How could detaining and questioning of Chief Editor of �Lanka� newspapers Chandana Sirimalwatta and the disappearance of the journalist of �Lanka e News� Eknaligoda be a violation of media freedom asked Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena. He said this speaking at a press conference. The minister answered several questions posed by a journalist from �Lanka e News.� more..

Feb 11 (LT) The request made by the Director of Army Hospital to monitor Gen. Fonseka�s state of health has been rejected by the government. It is reported that the best person who has knowledge regarding General�s condition of health is the Director of the Army Hospital. Mrs. Anoma Fonseka said the General was subjected to three bomb attacks and as a result there is shrapnel all over his body. more..

Feb 11 (LNP) Sri Lanka is one of the 32 countries in the International Forum of Independent Audit Regulators and Sri Lanka Accounting and Auditing Standards Monitoring Board (SLAASMB) is the Regulator situated in the South Asian region. Hence, the quality of financial reporting stands high in the region Sri Lanka Accounting and Auditing Standards Monitoring Board Director General, Ajith S. Ratnayake to Daily News Business, said. more..

Feb 11 (LNP) The sixth Parliament has just been dissolved. That it managed to complete its full term without facing a premature dissolution was in fact a miracle. Revolutionary changes this country has witnessed under several Parliaments over the past few decades but never have the tectonic plates of the polity shifted as they did during the past six years. The last Parliament also presided over not only the worst ever natural disaster, more..

Feb 11 (DN) The Colombo Fort Magistrate and Additional District Judge Lanka Jayaratne yesterday refused an anticipatory bail application by Danuwana Tillekeratna, son-in-law of General Sarath Fonseka. On an application by the CID the Judge made an order impounding the passport of Danuwana Tillkeratne. The Judge also directed the Registrar of the Court to inform the Controller of the Immigration and Emigration about the Court order. more..

Feb 11 (DN) Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardene addressing a media conference at the Ministry yesterday morning blamed the Opposition for trying to politicize the arrest of former Army Commander by the Military Police on certain allegations relating to violation of Army Rules, under the Army Act. These allegations include involvement in politics while serving in the Army, conspiring against the Commander in Chief, Under more..

Feb 11 (DN) President Mahinda Rajapaksa has shown his gratitude to the masses who elected him in 2005 by liberating the country from terrorism as promised. The masses in turn have reciprocated that gratitude by re-electing him with a massive mandate at the recently concluded Presidential Election, said Minister Keheliya Rambukwella in an interview with the Daily News. more..

Feb 11 (Island) A fundamental rights violation application was filed by Mrs. Anoma Fonseka in the Supreme Court, yesterday, challenging the legality of the arrest of General Sarath Fonseka by the Military Police in Colombo on February 8. The petitioner requested the Supreme Court to grant interim relief by ordering the release of Fonseka on any condition the Court deemed fit or to order that he be produced before the Court at every hearing to ensure that he is in safe custody. more..

Feb 11 (Island) In the wake of Monday�s arrest of defeated Opposition presidential candidate, General (retd) Sarath Fonseka on conspiracy charges, the SLMC and the Western People�s Front (WPF) are vigorously pushing for an electoral pact, which can accommodate the JVP. They are of the opinion that the political alliance, which backed the former Army Chief at the recently concluded presidential polls should remain intact to meet the Rajapaksas� challenge. more..

Feb 11 (Island) The Leader of the New Democratic Front (NDF) and Opposition Leader of the Colombo Municipal Council, Vasudeva Nanayakkara, yesterday urged the Opposition political parties to desist from making baseless allegations about the results of the Presidential elections which could not be proved and to submit all the material that was available to file action in court. more..

Feb 11 (Island) Government officials attached to International Man and Biosphere Reserve Kanneliya yesterday threatened to resort to trade union action if Police failed to arrest the man suspected of assaulting Range Forest Officer. They said the rule of law should be upheld and police must take strong action against the suspect, believed to be a henchman of a minister. A senior Minister expressed concern about the negligence of police officials to more..

Feb 11 (DM) The UNP which is quite confident of its vote bank at the parliament elections can afford to do fairly well even without harping on the Fonseka factor at the forthcoming polls. It is only when it wants to give a classic example of �gross erosion� of democracy in the country that it needs to remind the electorate of his arrest. If Mrs. Anoma Fonseka decides to enter politics as a joint opposition candidate to avenge the punishment meted out to her war hero husband then more..

Feb 11 (DM) Detained retired General Sarath Fonseka has been without medication for 24 hours while in the custody of the Military Police, according to his lawyer. �Due to the injuries he sustained in a suicide attack there has been damage to his liver. Therefore he needs to have medication every six hours. However until the time we visited him on Tuesday night he had been without his medicine,� more..

Feb 11 (DM) DLF Leader Vasudeva Nanayakkara said yesterday that he would contest the upcoming general elections from the Ratnapura district under the UPFA Betel symbol. He said he would be contesting from the Ratnapura district with the Eheliyagoda electorate as his base. Vasudeva Nanayakkara had earlier contested in the general elections in 2000 from the Ratnapura district and 2004 from the Colombo district under his own party more..

Feb 11 (DM) UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe said that neither the Constitution nor the Army Act contained any legal provisions for the continued detention of former Army Commander and Chief Of Defence Staff General Sarath Fonseka. He said that defence spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella, MCNS director Lakshman Hulugalle and military spokesman Prasad Samarasinghe had contradicted each other when giving reasons for the arrest and detention of General Fonseka. more..

Feb 11 (MoD) UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon congratulated President Mahinda Rajapaksa on his outstanding victory in being elected for a second term in the recently concluded Presidential Election. In a telephone conversation with the President today(10), the Secretary General wished him success in the continuance of his efforts to strengthen peace and reconciliation in Sri Lanka, with assurances of UN support for this work. more..

Feb 11 (UN) Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has expressed his concerns about recent developments in Sri Lanka, where a defeated presidential candidate has been arrested and Parliament dissolved, to the leader of the South Asian country and announced plans to dispatch his top political official to the island nation for further dialogue. more..

Feb 11 (LT) According to government sources the Ministry of Mass Media has been taken over by the President with immediate effect. These sources state the decision to take over the ministry by the President was on a request by the Minister of Mass Media Anura Priyadharshana Yapa. The sources say the minister has said he had to engage in election campaigning and it was difficult for him to oversee work at the ministry. more..

Feb 11 (Island) Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardhana yesterday assured the joint Opposition that it wouldn�t obstruct the Supreme Court being moved against President Mahinda Rajapaksa�s re-election at the presidential polls. Responding to UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake�s accusations that the government had locked-up defeated Opposition presidential candidate, more..

Feb 11 (GDI) Minister of Media and Information and Cabinet Spokesman, Anura Priyadarshana Yapa described today the Honoris Causa Doctorate presented to President Mahinda Rajapaksa from the People�s Friendship University of Russia (former Lumumba University) as a rare feature as only few such doctorates have been presented in its history of fifty years. more..

Feb 11 (PTI) Breaking its silence on the detention of former Sri Lankan Army chief Gen. Sarath Fonseka, India on Thursday said it �trusts� that the Rajapaksa government would �observe� due process of law in the case. External Affairs Ministry said India was in touch with the Sri Lankan authorities over the detention. �We have been in touch with the Government of Sri Lanka over the detention of Rtd Gen. Sarath Fonseka,� more..

Feb 11 (PTI) Sri Lankan government has warned the detained ex-army chief Sarath Fonseka against providing �evidence to certain international organisations� on alleged war crimes during the final battle with LTTE as it took strong exception to his remarks that he would �reveal the truth�. �He has reportedly spoken regarding certain things that took place during the war. He also said he is going to provide evidence,� more..

Feb 11 (DM) A Colombo Court today severely reprimanded the police for not carrying out their duty by arresting the armed thugs who attacked civilians during their peaceful march at Hulftsdorp yesterday and said the police should be ashamed of dancing to the tune of politicians. Colombo Chief Magistrate Champa Janaki Rajaratne made this observation when the Colombo Crimes Division OIC Premaratne produced eight people in Court in connection with the damaging of more..

Feb 11 (AFP) Sri Lanka's former army chief and defeated presidential candidate Sarath Fonseka has appealed for calm, his wife said Thursday, as violent protests escalated over his arrest on conspiracy charges. "He wanted me to convey to the people and especially the troops to remain calm and not to be provoked by his illegal arrest," said Anoma Fonseka, who met with her detained husband late Wednesday. more..

Feb 12 (Reuters) Sri Lanka's police used batons to disperse hundreds of supporters of losing presidential candidate Sarath Fonseka on Thursday, a Reuters witness said, in a second day of protests against his arrest. Tensions have risen on the island since former army commander Fonseka was arrested on Monday by military police on charges of engaging in politics against his president while still in uniform. "Police are beating the protesters with batons," more..

Feb 12 (AFP) A regional human rights group sharply criticised Sri Lanka Thursday over plans to court martial the island's former army chief on charges of conspiring against the government. "The case is being pursued in military courts, thus avoiding the country?s ordinary courts and depriving him of due process," the Hong Kong-based Asian Human Rights Commission said in a statement. "This is also depriving the public of information on his case," more..