June 17 (LNP) The Government re-commenced youth oriented activities in the North by establishing district offices of the National Youth Services Council, Vocational Training Authority and National Apprentice and Industrial Training Authority in the Kilinochchi district. The Ministry of Youth Affairs has organised a series of events to restore public facilities for the convenience of the newly resettled IDPs in the Kilinochchi district today and more..

June 17 (LNP) Defence Spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella yesterday said Sri Lankan Intelligence Units are maintaining a close relationship with Malaysian Intelligence Units and Police to curb LTTE activities there. Commenting on a report in the foreign media that Malaysian Police detected the presence of several senior LTTE leaders in Malaysia, he told the Daily News that the LTTE was functioning in several other countries and more..

June 17 (Island) The National Education Commission (NEC) has thrown its weight behind Higher Education Minister S.B. Dissanayake�s move to set up branches of foreign universities in Sri Lanka. The NEC has formulated plans to promote non�State degree awarding institutions as part of the country�s national policy framework on Higher Education and Technical and Vocational Education. more..

June 17 (LNP) The government seems to have taken the people for a bunch of suckers. There may be suckers among them all right but it cannot fool all the people all the time. It promised to bring BTI bacteria to battle dengue years ago but it has, true to form, not yet honoured its promise. Dengue is on the rise and people continue to die of it. Only mosquitoes and mosquito repellent manufacturers seem to have benefited from the government's much advertised dengue eradication programme, more..

June 17 (DN) Considering the climatic conditions in the areas near the boundary line of the wet and dry zones of the country, it is clearly visible that the dry zone is gradually extending into the wet zone, Colombo University Geographical Department Head W.N. Wilson said. �Throughout history this boundary line was stable and did not shift. But during the recent past, we can observe that the dry zone is invading the wet zone. more..

June 17 (DM) UNP front-liner Ravi Karunanayake said yesterday the party needed practical reforms but what was happening now was an exercise in confusion with various members trying to meddle in party affairs by trying to dictate terms as to how the party should be reformed. �The process of revamping the party needs to be carried out in a methodical manner, and I�m focused on helping the UNP to become the next government,� more..

June 17 (NPC) Terrorism has been eradicated and there is peace and harmony prevailing in the country. The guns that were booming then, for more than 30 years, are now silent. As is often mentioned in literary circles the �Silence is echoing and re-echoing and extremely vibrant� in the country. The flora and fauna too appreciate these gifts of nature and is responsive in their turn. In Sri Lanka, the lagoons in Elephant Pass regions were a boon to the seasonal migratory birds who flock to these regions more..

June 17 (DN) Health sector in Sri Lanka was reckoned to be on a fabulous grade internationally, and the doctors, medical specialists, consultants as well as the Nursing Staff worked tirelessly day in day out with dedication and commitment to ameliorate the anguish and distress of patients, Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena said. The Minister who ceremonially opened a state-of-the-art OPD (Out Patient's department) at the Chilaw General hospital more..

June 17 (PTI) The Queen�s Baton Relay for the 2010 Commonwealth Games, to be held in Delhi from October 3-14, arrived from Maldives here on Thursday. The Baton touched down at the Bandaranaike International Airport, where representatives of the Indian High Commission and the senior officials of Sri Lankan Tourism Ministry were present. After Colombo, the flame will travel through different places of the island country more..

June 17 (Island) Shortly after the conclusion of the war in May last year, the Tamil Diaspora made an abortive bid to cause an incident in Sri Lankan waters similar to the recent Israeli �raid� on a ship trying to run a naval blockade off Gaza. Had Sri Lanka acted recklessly, the country would have played into the hands of those bent on hauling Sri Lankan military and political leaders before an international tribunal for spearheading war against LTTE terrorism. more..

June 17 (DM) The UNP said today that it would back any amendment for the creation of the post of executive prime minister by abolishing the executive presidency as there were attempts by the government to extend the term of the President by an unlimited period of time. UNP Deputy Leader Karu Jayasuriya, while criticizing the government�s secretive operations for constitutional changes said that the government should not amend the constitution in an adhoc manner and more..

June 17 (DM) The number of elderly parents being neglected and facing hardships has increased in the past few years, National Elders Secretariat (NES) statistics indicate. NES Director Mrs. J. Krishnamoorthy said that during the period of January - May 2010, the NES Maintenance Board had received more than 50 complaints by elders about being neglected by their children and regarding various hardships they are facing. more..

June 17 (DN) The Fisheries and Aquatic resources Development Ministry will promote acqua-tourism in the country by introducing house boats throughout the island to attract tourists. The house boats will offer safe and secure house boat rides to visitors through the water ways of the country to experience scenic beauty. A house boat consists of two cabins, a hall, an attached bathroom and a toilet with traditional hay shelter as its roof for the comfort of the users, more..

June 17 (Island) Regardless of world oil price fluctuations, there was no justification for the Mahinda Rajapaksa government to impose a "Black Market Tax" of Rs.63, on a litre of petrol that costs Rs. 52, the UNP said yesterday. MP Ravi Karunanayaka told a news conference in Colombo yesterday that the price of oil was hovering between US$ 69 and US$ 75. Even if it goes up to US$ 80, more..

June 17 (LBO) The Sri Lankan government wants to buy back the stake in the Shell Gas unit in the island that had been sold to the multinational in a privatization exercise several years ago. The state-run Bank of Ceylon has been made an advisor to a committee that will negotiate with the Shell multinational, media minister Keheliya Rambukkwella said. He said the administration of president Mahinda Rjapaksa had promised to stop privatization of state entities. more..

June 17 (Island) If the Commander of the Army abused the President, it will be a military offence, Counsel S.L. Gunesekera told the Court of Appeal yesterday, when the Writ Application, filed by General Sarath Fonseka, against the jurisdictions of the Court Martial was taken up. Gunesekera appeared for two members of the Second Court Martial Tribunal, convened by the President to inquire into retired General Sarath Fonseka�s conduct. more..

June 18 (UCAN) A Church-run performing arts center in northern Sri Lanka has enrolled Tamil students in its Sinhalese dance class, a move believed to be the first of its kind in the Tamil-majority region. �What we always see in our country is that most of our politicians, intellectuals and other opinion makers continue to give prominence to issues that divide people,� said Gregory Philip Ferminus, coordinator of the Center for Performing Arts (CPA) in Jaffna. more..

June 18 (Xinhua) The Sri Lankan government has decided to axe over 400,000 coconut trees to prevent the spreading of a coconut disease called "blight" (phytoplasma) which has reduced the country's coconut yield by over 45 percent. "We detected the disease in 2006 and it is now spreading fast in several districts in the south," Coconut Research Institute (CRI) Director Chithrangani Jayasekara told reporters on Thursday. more..

June 18 (Reuters) Sri Lanka's central bank said its governor was re-appointed on Thursday to a six-year term, signalling continuity in monetary policy that has been credited with bolstering the country's post-war economic resurgence. Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal played a lead role in negotiating Sri Lanka's $2.6 billion IMF loan, drumming up foreign investment with a series of roadshows and keeping a rein on inflation. more..

June 18 (CN) There is more awareness that an Asia Cup event is being played in this cultural town in the centre of Sri Lank than an alternative lollypop event now being held in South Africa. Even our handphones have the region identification �Asia Cup� than Dambulla. No one would have thought it though on Wednesday night when Virender Sehwag�s bowling mesmerised the lower Bangladesh order. His impressive bowling figures of 2.5-0-6-4 are more..

June 18 (Xinhua) The Sri Lankan government expects to start a new radio channel to broadcast parliamentary debates, a senior parliamentary official said on Monday. Chaminda Paranavithana, media spokesman for Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa's office told reporters that the decision was taken by the speaker for the purpose of public awareness especially raising awareness among school children on parliamentary matters which is in the school curriculum. more..

June 18 (ISN) On the face of it, Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa�s visit to New Delhi last week was rather successful. India and Sri Lanka signed a range of agreements including loans for major infrastructure projects, sharing of electricity and boosting of cultural exchanges. India has extended a line of credit of $200 million to assist in the setting up of the NTPC-CEB Joint Venture of a 500MW thermal power plant at Trincolamalee. more..

June 18 (SOS) Dear Friends, On behalf of children, mothers, co-workers and on my personal behalf, let me thank you for being with us to support our work for the children and keeping the light of hope burning in the lives of children in the care at SOS Children�s Village Anuradhapura as well as in the Family Strengthening Programmes that we are carrying out in the neighbouring community. more..

June 18 (IR) A year after the death of terrorist organization, LTTE�s head V Prabhakaran, Sri Lanka is still struggling to get back to peace. Nothing illustrates better than the continued emergency extended on June 9, 2010. A year after annihilating both the LTTE and any other Tamil voice in island nation, Sri Lankan�s President Mahindra Rajapakse�s visit was more of a formality to inform the �big brother� on what happened. more..

June 18 (AFP) The United Nations will set up a panel to probe war crimes in Sri Lanka despite repeated protests from the island's hawkish government, a top UN envoy announced in Colombo on Thursday. Lynn Pascoe, the UN under secretary-general for political affairs, said Ban Ki-moon will soon name the panel which will guide him on the issue of alleged war crimes committed in Sri Lanka last year. more..

June 18 (SP) Thirteen months after the Tamil LTTE rebel army was defeated, Sri Lankan police still seek rebel activists living among the Tamil population. So far this year, over a hundred known LTTE activists have been found and arrested in Sri Lanka. Many of those arrested were found tending to the many caches of weapons and ammunition still being discovered. Military equipment and documents are also found, indicating that the LTTE hid all this gear with more..

June 18 (LBO) Sri Lanka's new plantations industries minister has promised to give the tea industry more of the funds collected from a tax on tea exports. Mahinda Samarasinghe said his plantations industries ministry was having talks with the government treasury on ways to plough back into the tea industry a bigger share of the funds collected from the tax. The industry has repeatedly complained it is starved of funds raised from an export tax of four rupees a kilo on tea shipments. more..

June 18 (LBO) A European taste and quality award won by Sri Lanka's Maliban Biscuit Manufactories should give it an edge in marketing both locally and overseas. Lucky Weerasuriya, Maliban chief executive officer, said good manufacturing practices and use of imported raw materials helped achieve the quality that won them the 'Superior Taste award 2010' of the Brussels-based International Taste and Quality Institute (iTQi). more..

June 18 (GV) In the black and white photographs of my childhood, my sisters and I look pretty smart, standing to attention under the spreading mango tree which Rajaratnam Uncle took every year to record our development for future reference. But there was one major flaw. We all had hideous black pottus the size of an Orange Barley bottle top on our foreheads. The pottu is to ward off evil-eyes which could ruin our beauty. more..

June 18 (LBO) Sri Lanka's power generation in the first quarter of 2010 has increased 9.2 percent from a year earlier, with a larger proportion coming from cheaper hydro power amid exceptionally wet weather, official data showed. First quarter power generation grew by 217 million units (GigaWatt hours) to 2,581 GWh from a year earlier, Central Bank data showed. In the month of March, power generation grew 12.6 percent to 930 GWh, more..

June 18 (GV) It happened 20 years ago, but I still remember the incident. In early 1990, as a young science journalist working for the Asia Technology magazine of Hong Kong, I was being shown around the Pakistani space agency SUPARCO premises in Karachi. At the time, they were readying the country�s first digital communications satellite, Badr 1 (Urdu for �New Moon-1�). more..

June 18 (TC) Accusations about the Asia office of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) turning a blind eye to financial irregularities in Sri Lanka�s media organizations led to several key figures being ousted from office at this year�s IFJ world congress. The Federation of Media Employees Trade Unions (FMETU) has accused the Asian leadership of the IFJ for not heeding warnings of financial mismanagement in Sri Lanka�s media organizations. more..

June 18 (DM) �Trust me� said President Mahinda Rajapaksa to the leaders of the TNA last Monday. He met them at a meeting convened by him to discuss matters pertaining to the problems currently faced by the Tamil people, especially those in the Northern and the Eastern Provinces. Interestingly, the TNA leaders have reciprocated with the same call for trust, according to some reports. Some websites that highlighted the President�s call, do not seem to have understood the essence of the term trust, and more..

June 18 (CI) Don't say it aloud. Just whisper. You don't want to scare a Bangladesh fan. What if Tamim Iqbal's form runs out? Or worse what if he is dragged down by the mediocrity that surrounds him? It's the scariest thought for a Bangladesh fan. They are used to unanswerable questions though. Sample these: How long will Mohammad Ashraful continue to waste his opportunities? How long will Bangladesh continue to squander good starts? more..

June 18 (LG) Sister M. Pradeepa, 34, is from Trincomalee and works at the Ampitiya Convent in Kandy where she is involved with various projects involving children and the elderly. As a support staff member of a local human rights group she also helps to shelter and assist young rape victims who are taking their cases through the court. Q: What do you think about the policing system in your country? more..

June 18 (TN) Deputy Minster of Resettlement, Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias Karuna Amman, visited Jaffna Thursday for the first time after having joined UPFA government. Muralitharan, accompanied by the Minister of Resettlement Milroy Fernando, was primarily engaged in activities in promoting the resettlement of Muslims in Jaffna peninsula meeting Muslim Welfare Organizations (MFO) and government officials, more..

June 18 (NF) Seethawakapura Urban Council has found a solution to the garbage disposal problem affecting the whole country. The council had been burdened with the garbage disposal problem for the last four decades and finally, it had come up with a very practical solution. They turn it into compost. Explaining how it is all done, Premalal Pinto, Chairman of the Urban Council said that earlier, about 15 tons of garbage in 15 to 20 tractor loads had been brought to the dump. more..

June 18 (NF) The Supreme Court dismissed an appeal by General Sarath Fonseka against the Court of Appeal�s decision to vacate a temporary order staying the proceedings of the first court martial. The Bench comprising justices Shirani Bandaranaike, Nimal Gamini Amaratunga and S.I. Imam came to this conclusion after hearing the submissions of both parties. The Court of Appeal issued an order on May 3 to suspend the sittings of the first court martial on more..