Mar 22 (LG) The collective howl from Sri Lanka at Ban Ki-Moon, the Secretary General of the UN has not brought Moon down to Earth. Nor has the pillorying of Pillay had any effect.The issue is not that Moon, Navathian Pillay, the UN Commissioner for Human Rights and the rest of the UN gang doesn�t deserve the Sri Lankan �compliments� or not. But it is clear that Lanka�s heated response to Ban Ki-Moon�s proposal to appoint a special panel to investigate more..

Mar 22 (LG) A colourful, sensationalised news report in the print media more than a week ago said �TNA seeks direct foreign investment to North-East.� Another said the TNA had dropped its �Separate State� claim from its manifesto. These were the two issues the local media thought were important for the Sri Lankan audience when the TNA came out with its election manifesto. more..

Mar 22 (TN) EPRLF released its election manifesto Sunday around 10:00 a.m in a press meet at EPRLF Pathmanaba faction office on Hospital Road in Jaffna, sources in Jaffna said. EPRLF and PLOTE are jointly contesting in Jaffna and Vavuniyaa districts in the forthcoming parliamentary election. The EPRLF election manifesto was released by Sritharan, the leader of EPRLF Varathar faction. more..

Mar 22 (TN) Sri Lanka Chief Justice, Asoka de Silva who arrived in Jaffna Saturday accompanied by Justices Balapatabendi, K. Saravanabavan and S. Amaratunge officially opened the newly built court complex in Nedunththeevu in the islets of Jaffna Saturday evening. The Chief Justice will lay the foundation stones for the court complexes in Mallaakam and Chavakachcheri court premises Sunday, more..

Mar 22 (TN) Somawansa Amarasinghe, the leader of JVP, opened the JVP office for Jaffna peninsula Sunday afternoon in Uduppiddi-Valveddiththu�rai area on Jaffna-Point Pedro road, sources in Jaffna said. The JVP leader said that while governments of UNP, SLFP and the ruling UPFA had killed innocent Tamils and subjected them to untold difficulties in the past, JVP had not killed a single Tamil. more..

Mar 22 (SLNN) A group of young Sri Lankans are tackling one of the most pressing issues in the country � reconciliation � by targeting the nation�s youth. Sri Lanka Unites (SLU), run by a multi-ethnic, multi-religious group of young professionals, aims �to unite the youth of all ethnic and religious groups across Sri Lanka in a movement that promotes reconciliation, creating a peaceful and prosperous nation for future generations.� more..

Mar 22 (LG) After five weeks of absence from Sri Lanka watching, the country's political scene on the run up to the April 8 parliamentary poll strangely appears to follow the same rut of words rather than action. The country has been witnessing the same during the last two decades.The recriminations are similar, and the rulers callousness so repetitive. more..

Mar 22 (IANS) Kerala-based South Indian Bank (SIB) will Tuesday ink an agreement with Hatton National Bank (HNB), the largest private sector bank in Sri Lanka, to enable the exchange of expertise and services between the two financial institutions, an SIB official said here Sunday. "The memorandum of understanding (MoU) will be inked between V.A. Joseph, managing director and chief executive officer of SIB, and more..

Mar 22 (MoD) Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa has emphasised that the Government will fulfill its duties by all war heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice to liberate the country. He said District Ranuwiru Seva Authorities are taking measures to solve the grievances of the families of the Police and Service Personnel who have made the supreme sacrifice. Due consideration is given to issues on housing and more..

Mar 22 (LeN) Nava Sihala Urumaya leader Sarath Manamendra addressing a DNA media briefing said, the Govt. has got frightened of the massive support the people are extending to the DNA having understood the injustice this Govt. has meted out to General Fonseka. This Govt. is protecting and pampering the LTTE terrorist leaders, but more..

Mar 22 (SLW) A roundtable discussion held at The International Center for Ethnic Studies on Future Security & Implications of the Prevention of Terrorism Act and Emergency Regulations in Post-War Sri Lanka. It was attended by a wide assortment of diplomatic community, Government-non government personalities and journalists on 9th of March 2010 proved to be a well rounded discussion brought to lime light, more..

Mar 22 (SLW) There has always been much talk on the fact that Colombo is an isolated pocket of civilization in Sri Lanka. In fact when outsiders or foreigners think of our little nation images of trees, jungles and rural people are what come to their minds. But the truth is, except for those living in the heart of the country, this really is what life is like. There has always been an element of pride amongst the people living in Colombo. more..

Mar 22 (SLW) Whilst the organizers are confident that they will not cancel the performance under any circumstances, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau watches from a safe distance on the developments. Repeated attempts by Perambara to contact Dileep Mudadeniya, Managing Director of SLTPB for comments failed. Opposition to the planned concert by international hip hop star Akon is growing on the net. more..

Mar 22 (CMEV) As of 20th March, CMEV has recorded a cumulative total of 146 incidents of which 87 have been categorized as Major. The number of incidents involving the Use of Firearms has risen to 29. Some of the recent incidents of election related violence are highlighted below. On 20th March at around 12.30 am a lorry belonging to UPFA supporter, Ibrahim Raheem, was set on fire by an unidentified group in Gandhi Road, Eravur. more..

Mar 22 (SLW) It�s the same scene. I try to avoid it for the minute but there�s no having it. Same car, same bricks, same streets, same shortcuts, same kids, same light. The tree outside the window, the flowers are in bloom. That�s new. On the way back from the airport it�s Mahinda and Mervyn, like welcome back. I read through De Botton � �I felt despair to be home. I felt there could be few worse places on earth than the one I had been fated to spend my existence in.� more..

Mar 22 (TC) The ruling coalition, the UPFA seems to be obsessed with the hope of winning more than two thirds of the parliamentary seats at the General Election scheduled to be held on April 8. Leaders and the members of the constituent parties of the coalition have no doubt whatsoever of being beaten by the two main opposition coalitions, the UNF and the DNA. more..

Mar 22 (MoD) Several activities will be carried out today to mark the World Water Day in the Mannar district organized by the European Union Delegation in Sri Lanka in collaboration with the Sewa Lanka Foundation, Mannar Office and the Zonal Education Department of Madhu. An EU spokesperson said an art competition and environmental awareness program for students in the Manthai West Division in the Mannar district was held to mark the World Water Day. more..

Mar 22 (MoD) The Government has allocated Rs100 million to construct school buildings in the Northern Province under the Uthuru Vasanthaya (Northern Spring) project. Construction of 23 school buildings have been completed. Northern Province Governor Major General G.A. Chandrasiri said after 180 days of the Uthuru Vasanthaya program, around 23 school buildings were completed in the Jaffna Peninsula. more..

Mar 22 (MoD) The Eastern polity who did not dream of enjoying their fundamental rights have now received all what they have lost. The civilians of the Province were battered by terrorism for nearly three decades. They never expected freedom. However, the Government had been able to restore all their rights with the liberation of the region from the terrorists. They can now dream of a brighter future. Receiving pure pipe-borne drinking water was also a dream for them. more..

Mar 22 (wsws) Lanka News Web reported earlier this month that �state intelligence units have drawn up a list of names of active journalists and NGOs [non government organisations]� and categorised them according to a points system. While the full list has not been published, those named are connected to organisations and media outlets critical of President Mahinda Rajapakse and his government. more..

Mar 22 (GDI) The private sector employees will be granted a salary increase in the next few months. The Government says it is holding discussions with the salary commission to provide a 15 -20 percent increase to the private sector employees. Commissioner General of Labour, W.J.L.U. Wijayaweera said that discussions were underway with the salary commission regarding this salary increase. more..

Mar 22 (GDI) Yesterday was the 146th Police Heroes Day. The Police Department has also made a significant contribution in liberating the country from terrorism. Constable Tuan Shaban of the Kandy Police died while capturing Saradiel on 21st March 1864. Thereafter, Police heroes are commemorated every year on March 21st marking this significant event in recent history. more..

Mar 22 (GDI) The Maha Sangha have extended their blessings to the Gampaha District UPFA leader Basil Rajapaksa. The �Sangha Sammelanaya� of the Gampaha District was held at the Vidyawansha Pirivena in Gampaha. More than thousand members of the Maha Sangha participated at this forum. Addressing the convention, the Chancellor of the Kelaniya University Ven. Velamitiyawe Kusaladhamma Thero said that more..

Mar 22 (GDI) The Central Bank has launched a new concessionary credit scheme �Saubhagya� for the Small and Medium Enterprise sector. Under the scheme, SMEs can obtain credit up to Rs.20 million from any registered commercial bank or registered specialised bank at nine percent and 10 percent interest. The SMEs affected by the conflict, economic downturn or a natural disaster can obtain a more..

Mar 22 (GDI) Police are verifying inputs from Indian Central and State intelligence agencies that some key LTTE cadres had �sneaked� into Tamil Nadu. Hours before Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrived in Chennai to inaugurate the new Assembly and Secretariat complex on March 13th, the Intelligence Bureau had alerted the Tamil Nadu Police that six LTTE cadres had entered the city and were staying at Valasaravakkam. more..

Mar 22 (GDI) The Secretary of the Ministry of Nation Building and Estate Infrastructure W.K.K. Kumarasiri stated that many successful programs have been implemented under the "Gama Neguma" sustainable development programme which commenced in year 2006. Accordingly, 90,000 roads were developed in the rural areas. The specific objective is to narrow the gap between developing towns and rural areas. more..

Mar 22 (GDI) The Inland Revenue Department had earned a record income of 27.7 billion rupees last year according to the Commissioner Mahinda Medagoda. It is a 12 percent growth when compared to the amount earned in the year 2008. He attributed this development to the dedication of his staff. He said that the department has already achieved 50 percent of its targets this year. more..

Mar 22 (MoD) Cadetting was a very popular extra-curricular activity in leading Jaffna schools during good old days but after '80 s cadetting just faded away with the escalation of violence and forcible recruitment of school children as child soldiers by the terrorists. With the Sri Lanka government taking control of the entire country after destroying the LTTE, it became the responsibility of the government to more..

Mar 22 (MoD) Security forces headquarters, Jaffna in order to go hand in hand with ongoing normalization of the living milieu in the Jaffna peninsula are doing their utmost to make living worth there by relaxing more and more security measures. The latest noteworthy step came about a few days ago when the Security Forces Headquarters, Jaffna (SFHQ-J) after dismantling their High Security Zone (HSZ) in the Valikamam north, more..

Mar 22 (LNP) Responding to a recent UNP pledge to launch an effective resettlement scheme in the North, Northern Province Governor Maj. Gen. (retd) G. A. Chandrasiri said that the rehabilitation, reconstruction and resettlement programme launched by the government at the end of the war had been successful. He said that their efforts had even been appreciated by the Tamil community and the international community. more..

Mar 22 (LP) Sri Lanka has given its consent to join other South Asian nations in setting up a joint weather and monsoon forecasting system for the entire South Asia region. According to the Department of Meteorology a delegation from the department would participate in the newly formed South Asian Climate Outlook Forum (SASCOF) initiative meeting to be held on April 13 this year. more..

Mar 22 (LP) The skipper of the Multi-day Fishing Trawler named �Kulan Puttha� had been suffering from a Chest pain whilst engaged in fishing 320 kilometers East of Trincomalee. The mishap had made the skipper badly in need of medical assistance and put the crew and the craft in peril. In response to request made for assistance Eastern Naval Command Headquarters dispatched two Fast Naval Crafts on the rescue mission. more..

Mar 22 (LP) This year�s Anti Tuberculosis (TB) Day is commemorated on the theme �Let�s contribute, imaginatively in the control of Tuberculosis�. The main objective of the national Anti TB and Leprosy campaign is to direct those infected to un-delayed treatment voluntarily. The Director of this campaign in Sri Lanka Dr A K S de Alwis mentions that each year the world identifies about 8 million of patients and reports of two million deaths. more..

Mar 22 (LT) Reports say that Gen. Sarath Fonseka who was illegally arrested by Military Police and is being arbitrarily detained at Navy Headquarters has not been allowed to have his mid-day meal today. According to reports a relation had taken the lunch of Gen. Fonseka to the Navy Headquarters as Ms. Anoma Fonseka had gone away to participate in the election campaign. more..

Mar 22 (LP) The Delhi Daredevils have rushed injured captain Gautam Gambhir and key paceman Ashish Nehra to Sri Lanka for ayurvedic treatment. It was reported in the �Times of India� that the two cricketers came to the island on a suggestion from the team's Sri Lankan player Tillakaratne Dilshan. "Both these cricketers have gone to Sri Lanka for treatment. The doctor has treated many Indian cricketers before. more..

Mar 22 (UNP) Ven. Sri Sumangala Nayake Thero of Siam Maha Nikaye of the Rangiri Dambulu Chapter addressing a media briefing yesterday (21) at the Uyanwatte Raja Maha Vihara demanded the resignation of the cultural Minister and officials of the Central cultural fund over their statement on the eradication of wasps at Sigiriya rock. Speaking in defense of the wasps as the guardians of the Sigiriya rock, he said, more..

Mar 22 (Island) SLFP Gen. Secretary, Maithripala Sirisena, is confident that the SLFP-led ruling coalition could secure four out of five seats in the Polonnaruwa electoral district. According to the veteran politician, the Opposition is in disarray in the district. He said the UPFA could win five of the eight seats in the neighbouring Anuradhapura district. Minister Sirisena said that the JVP was unlikely to win even a single seat in the North Central Province more..

Mar 22 (UNP) UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe states that, no instructions had been given to the Deputy leader of the party or the Gen. secretary not to conduct the political campaign at the Moneragala District for the up coming general elections, pending the legal advice which has been sought to explore the possibility to declare the fraudulent Moneragala nomination list as void. more..

Mar 22 (DN) He gets his metaphors mixed up. He slips on history. He has no sense of rhythm when it comes to song and dance; his feet just don�t tap as appropriate to beat. Literally and metaphorically. He probably thought that the wewai-daagebai concept has been replaced by meat balls, Hanzel and Gretel. He doesn�t have the pulse of the people. He probably thinks that the wealthier and more snobbish sections of Colombo 7 and Colombo 3 are more..

Mar 22 (LNP) The IT industry needs 100,000 to 150,000 workforce and is expected to reach US $ one billion in next two to three years. This growth would provide a significant boost to the Sri Lankan economy, Information and Communication Technology Agency Sri Lanka, Chief Operating Officer Reshan Dewapura told Daily News Business The ICT industry has progressed significantly in the past five years. more..

Mar 22 (LT) The 16 Sri Lankans who were hired to carry out an �agitation� against UNO Secretary General Ban Ki-moon�s decision to appoint a committee to advice him on human rights violations in Sri Lanka on the 12th of this month in New York were treated to a sumptuous meal by the Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the UN Dr. Palithe Kohona recently. more..

Mar 22 (LT) The portfolios of food, cooperatives, village development, trade, housing and industries held by H.B. Semasinghe, a senior minister of North Central Provincial Council have been taken over by the Chief Minister Berty Premalal Dissanayake. The reason for the takeover, according to the Chief Minister, is that Mr. Semasinghe�s son is contesting the general election as a UPFA candidate for Anuradhapura District and the ministry was taken over on a decision by the SLFP. more..

Mar 22 (LNP) Is the war really over? This is the question that most citizens ask themselves when they are shoved into wayside drains or made to freeze for the so-called VIPs to whiz past them on public highways. Every day, we have politicians` security guards waving menacingly from escort vehicles that move at breakneck speed unleashing mayhem on already congested roads. The hapless road users have to stomach all indignities and harassment in the name of VIP security, more..

Mar 22 (LT) A UNF government would be established even with one majority vote at the general election says UNP candidate and Leader of the group of candidates of the UNF for Matara District Mangala Samaraweera. He said, �We should begin this process from the people in the South. During the past the members of the UNP, specially, were targeted by the Rajapakse government and many were victimized. more..

Mar 22 (DN) Well-known television actor Buddhika Rambukwella set a Guinness World Record by driving a vehicle with his feet with his hands handcuffed for 903 kilometres. He began on his record-breaking venture from Point Pedro on March 18 and ended at Tissamaharama. It had taken him 15 hours with a normal speed of 60.2 km and the highest speed of 125 km to get there. more..

Mar 22 (DN) The era where youth had to go after politicians in search of gainful employment will soon be over, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said. President Rajapaksa said a culture should be created where youth would get gainful employment in accordance with their skills and knowledge without having to depend on political backing or having to face undue hassle. He said the Government was committed and would work tirelessly to achieve this objective. more..

Mar 22 (DN) Sub-surface mineral deposits in the interior of Sri Lanka�s earth are to be surveyed and unearthed soon. The Geological Surveys and Mines Bureau (GSMB) has arranged an aerial geo-physical survey covering islandwide landscape. The matter is now awaiting Cabinet approval. GSMB Chairman Dr. N.A. Wijayananda told the Daily News that equipment including sophisticated magneto metres and radio activity detectors will be utilized in the task. more..