Sept 17 (GDI) 'World Spice Food Festival' is an annual culinary event and it publicizes internationally our reputation of being a country blessed abundantly with spices, having historical links with countries of far East and Asia. This Spice Food Festival has been in the calendar of events of Sri Lanka Tourism since 2005. The public event �Hawkers� street food promotion� is scheduled to take place at �Board Walk� of Waters Edge, Battaramulla from 05th to 07th Oct 2012 more..

Sept 17 (IANS) Amid New Delhi's concerns over growing military ties between Beijing and Colombo, Sri Lanka's envoy Prasad Kariyawasam has said there is no zero-sum game between India and China. He said his country will not be reduced to a stage for the two rising Asian powers to play out their "rivalry". "We are not in the habit of looking at our relations with India and China as a zero-sum game," the envoy told IANS more..

Sept 17 (AFP) Former captain Sanath Jayasuriya has tipped one of the Asian giants to win this year�s World Twenty20, which starts from September 18. Jayasuriya, a perfect exponent of the T20 style of cricket during his playing days, believes the slow wickets in Sri Lanka will work in favour of theses teams, all packed with quality spinners and explosive batsmen within their ranks. �It�s a tough tournament to predict as there are several teams who, if they find their rhythm, more..

Sept 17 (PTI) A 45-member trade delegation from Tamil Nadu will visit Sri Lanka this week to explore ways to improve trade relations between the country and the southern Indian state. Executive members of the Tamil Nadu Chamber of Commerce and Industries (TNCCI) will arrive here on Thursday on a four-day visit to Sri Lanka, according to the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce which is Sri Lanka's main trade representative body. The TNCCI, that was instrumental in making Madurai an international airport, would have its representatives get more..

Sept 17 (DM) The police said today that Malaka Silva was not arrested at the Kelaniya Raja Maha Viharaya because the policemen on duty had not been informed that he was wanted in connection with the alleged assault on the army major. They said they were keen on doing a thorough investigation before arresting him. Western Province Senior DIG Anura Senanayake said the police were not under pressure from any quarter with regard to the investigations. more..

Sept 18 (NS) One of the closest political friends of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa is the Chief Minister (CM) of Gujarat, Narendra Modi. This leader of the Hindu right party, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is as notorious as popular. He became notorious in India in 2002 when as the CM he presided over the biggest ever mass massacre of the minority Muslims in the state. It is widely alleged and reported that Modi provided incentive and inspiration to kill around more..

Sept 18 (NS) Malaka Silva is another newsmaker in Sri Lanka more than being only son of a controversial minister of Sri Lankan Parliament. The minister is Mervyn Silva who holds the titles of Minister of Public Relations and Public Affairs and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party�s chief organizer for the Kelaniya electorate. He is famous for his hysterical actions and untamed tongue. He is a hero for some and villain for some others. His son Malaka is known as a youth who always more..

Sept 18 (SO) When we visited the house of 47-year-old Edward Premalal, who is deaf from birth, he was reluctant to reveal anything about his life, but his wife, 39-year-old Premila who is partially deaf due to an accident, told us their life story. Both Edward and Premila are living at Meddawatta, Kalutara. Their marriage took place 15 years ago. They have two children, the elder, a son is also dumb, but the younger one, more..

Sept 18 (TC) Statistics is a dangerous game and electoral statistics are quicksand, hence I will draw only the broadest conclusions from the outcome of the three Provincial Council elections of September 8. The first impression and one that is valid is that Mahinda Rajapaksa�s UPFA has held its ground in the Sinhalese heartland � what are the implications of this for the next three to four years up to the next presidential elections? The second outcome is that the TNA has emerged as the more..

Sept 18 (CT) Euthanasia or assisted suicide is a controversial topic that is defined as deliberate intervention undertaken with the express intention of ending a life, to relieve intractable suffering. Today several countries have legalized euthanasia and some view it as a human right. Those who support euthanasia point out that the importance of personal autonomy and self-determination, the right of every human being to have his / her wishes respected in decisions involving his / her own body more..

Sept 18 (DBS) Sri Lanka�s struggles to gain Test status were many, but since becoming full members of the ICC in 1981, the three decade period has been an eventful one. Sri Lanka became World Champions in ODI cricket in 1996 and on four other occasions reached finals of various ICC events, once ending joint-champions alongside India after the 2002 Champions Trophy was rained off. Over the years there have been Test more..

Sept 18 (LB) The Provincial Council elections have come and gone. They had little or no impact on anything except perhaps the govt�s resources, through the millions wasted on an election process subscribed to by only a little more than half the subject voter population. The results of the largely irrelevant mini-election however, reflected once again the non-existence of an effective opposition that offers a reasonable alternative to the party in power in Sri Lanka: more..

Sept 18 (LB) The state of a country�s democracy can be gauged through a variety of signifiers. This multi-fronted identification can for instance be made in relation to aspects such as the traffic of media, the exercise and extent of human rights, the autonomy of public services and the participation of the citizenry in key, decisive processes such as elections, etc. If we consider the recently concluded elections for three selectively dissolved provincial councils, an undeniably striking feature in more..

Sept 18 (Island) Parliament is scheduled to debate, this week, new regulations to control noise pollution caused by vehicle horns, according to media reports. These measures are, in our view, long overdue. A few years ago some half-hearted attempts were made to address the problem, but ear-splitting noises continue to emanate from vehicles much to the consternation of the public. Private buses are the worst culprits. They are fitted with powerful horns whose blare more..

Sept 18 (Reuters) Sri Lanka's new spin bowling hope Akila Dananjaya already feels so at home in the setup he has commandeered a senior team mate as a chauffeur. The confident 18-year-old's rapid rise from obscurity means he has been named in Sri Lanka's 13-man squad for the World Twenty20 opener against Zimbabwe in Hambantota on Tuesday despite never having played an international match. "Akila has not only settled down very well but he's very talkative," more..

Sept 18 (FT) As part of investigations, the CID has begun questioning Pradeep Kariyawasam, the former Chairman of National Savings Bank (NSB), in connection with the controversial decision to invest in The Finance Company (TFC), a move which was revoked subsequently. This is following the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery and Corruption last month commencing an investigation into the NSB�s investment of Rs. 394 million in a more..

Sept 18 (Island) Kamran Akmal whacked 92 runs off 50 balls as Pakistan chased down 186 to beat India by five wickets in their T-20 Warm-up match played at R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo yesterday. Chasing the target Pakistan lost five wickets for 91 runs in 11.3 overs as Ravichandran Ashwin struck early but an unbeaten 95-run partnership between Shoaib Malik and Akmal helped Pakistan to recover and chase down the target with five balls to spare. Akmal scored six sixes and five fours more..

Sept 18 (DN) The opening campaign to set up new or upgraded libraries in schools that lack library facilities in remote and rural areas launched under 'EDEX Live your Dream' programme will gather momentum during the Colombo International Book Fair 2012 to be held from today to Sept 28 at the BMICH. Several new or upgraded libraries have been set up in seven districts under the programme whilst a number of bulk book donations have also been made since the project was launched more..

Sept 18 (DN) Minister Bandula Gunawardena requested university lecturers to attend to the marking of A/L answer scripts which have been delayed for a month due to their trade union action. Exam Commissioner W M N J Pushpakumara sent letters in this regard to lecturers who have to report for paper marking and the minister hoped the lecturers will respond positively. He said university lecturers helped conduct more..

Sept 18 (Island) A US$ 60 million three year Sri Lanka Development Bond (SLDB) offer was two times oversubscribed with the Public Debt Department of the Central Bank accepting all bids amounting to US$ 121.05 million with the issue closing yesterday (17) with risk premiums higher than last year�s lows. "The Central Bank of Sri Lanka, on behalf of the Govt of Sri Lanka, offered to issue Sri Lanka Development Bonds (SLDBs) of US$ 60 million in 3-year tenor to more..

Sept 18 (FT) Successor of the International Dawoodi Bohra Community and member of the Bohra Royal Family, Syedi Aali Qadr Mufaddal Bhaisaheb Saifuddin arrived in the country last night to deliver a sermon and meet the followers of the Dawoodi Bohra community in Colombo. Syedi Aali Qadr Mufaddal Bhaisaheb, the successor and son of the Bohra Leader, His Holiness Dr. Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin Saheb, was welcomed by thousands of His followers in a grand reception more..

Sept 18 (Island) Senior DIG of Police, Anura Senanayake thanked media for the support in making people aware about the main suspect in the Museum theft, Lasange Priyantha Mendis, and publishing the photograph in newspapers and showing it on electronic media. He said that the police received accurate information from the public about the suspect�s whereabouts three times following wide media exposure, more..

Sept 18 (CI) Brendan Taylor, the Zimbabwe captain, said a lack of match practice will not be an obstacle to success in the World Twenty20, ahead of their first match - the tournament opener against Sri Lanka in Hambantota. Zimbabwe have not played any international cricket since their tour of New Zealand in February, but Taylor said practice matches among the Zimbabwe squad and an unofficial tri-series against South Africa more..

Sept 18 (CI) Sri Lanka enter the World Twenty20 under more pressure to win the title than usual, and this is only partly because they are hosts. They have failed the final test thrice in limited-overs world events since 2007, and fans are growing weary of the bridesmaids label. The team will assert that they have done well to make it so far, so often, and given their lack of consistency between major tournaments, they may be right - but that does not dim the agony of being more..

Sept 18 (DC) At a time when Tamil sentiments are raging against the visit of president Rajapaksa to India, the first international flight to Colombo from Madurai airport by budget airliner SpiceJet is all set to take off on Sept 20. A trade delegation from Madurai will also be leaving for the island nation when its President would be arriving at Sanchi in Madhya Pradesh to lay the foundation stone for an International Buddhist University. more..

Sept 18 (Island) The Supreme Court yesterday granted a Haj-pilgrimage operator leave to proceed with a fundamental rights violation plea against Minister A.H.M. Fowzie and officials of the Ministry of Muslim Religious and Cultural Affairs. The petitioner, Travel Data Tour and Travels Private Limited of Colombo, had complained to Court that Minister Fowzie, had been allocated 2,500 visas, last year, to send Haj-pilgrims to Saudi more..

Sept 18 (DN) The implementation of the COPE report is purely the responsibility of the Executive. President Mahinda Rajapaksa is implementing it. According to latest reports, annual reports had been submitted up to 2010, Communist Party of Sri Lanka (CPSL) General Secretary and Senior Minister DEW Gunasekara said. He said earlier, some annual reports had not been submitted for 10 years. �Now around 10 annual reports come before Cabinet every week for approval,� he said. more..

Sept 18 (SMH) Australian defence personnel are set to begin building temporary accomodation for asylum seekers on PNG's Manus Island as another planeload of Tamil asylum seekers is processed in Nauru. Immigration Minister Chris Bowen told reporters in Canberra four C-130 aircraft departed Australia for PNG today, with 25 ADF personnel on board. He said the team will work with other personnel already on the island. more..

Sept 18 (DC) The visit by Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse to Sanchi this coming week when he inaugurates an international Buddhist university and holds talks with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi has already set off angry protests in Tamil Nadu. But the question is � is this going to be the only test faced by the increasingly straitened Indo-Sri Lanka ties? Clearly, while the recent unfortunate attack on ethnic Lankan Tamil pilgrims to the Velankani shrine more..

Sept 18 (DC) The Ansari episode reiterates what has been long believed: Pakistani ISI is hyper active in Sri Lanka. In fact, Pakistan had appointed a former ISI officer Colonel Bashir Wali Mohammed as its high commissioner in Colombo in June 2004. A couple of months later, the LTTE set off a three-wheeler explosion targeting him in the heart of Colombo. Seven men in his convoy were killed but Wali escaped. It was widely believed that President Pervez Musharraf sent Col Wali to more..

Sept 18 (Island) The govt has decided to keep a check on private medical laboratories mushrooming all round the country and will soon bring in laws to regulate them. The Health Ministry said that there were more than 3,000 unregistered private medical laboratories and medical specimen collecting centres scattered across the country and a majority of them had employed unqualified staff as laboratory technologists resulting in more..

Sept 18 (Island) The Railway Department has decided to upgrade, to international standards, ten high revenue yielding stations, Sri Lanka Railways Planning Director Wijaya Samarasinghe said. The railway stations selected for the project were the country's busiest stations, he added. They are: Colombo Fort, Maradana, Ragama, Gampaha, Veyangoda, Anuradhapura, Vavuniya, Batticaloa, Kandy and Galle. Those stations would be equipped with state of the art facilities, more..

Sept 18 (CT) Employees of the Sri Lanka Postal Department have threatened an all island strike after 25 September, if the demands put forward by the employees over streamlining graduate recruitment, are not met. President, Ceylon Postal Union (CPU), Jayantha Wijesinghe, said the union had been urging the govt to streamline the process of recruiting graduates to fill the vacancies at the Postal Department. The Ministry of Postal Services has decided to recruit 764 graduates to more..

Sept 18 (CD) China signed 16 agreements with Sri Lanka on Monday, ranging from visa exemption and marine development to economic and technology cooperation, and promised to expand investment and increase imports from the South Asian country. Experts said the expanded cooperation demonstrates deepened political trust, and will help make Sri Lanka "Asia's miracle" in terms of economic growth. more..

Sept 18 (Island) The results of the Grade V scholarship examination would be released on or before Sept. 30, the Examinations Department said yesterday. Addressing the media, Commissioner General of Examinations W. M. N. J. Pushpakumara said that some answer scripts, brought from North-Central, Eastern and Sabaragamuwa provinces, where the provincial council elections were held, had yet to be evaluated. more..

Sept 18 (CI) It is an overburdened mind that cannot spare some time for revelry and, in the next three weeks in Sri Lanka, the World Twenty20 offers the international game the chance to discover its lighter side. No form of the game can promote the attraction of cricket to a new audience so quickly, nor provides such immediate appeal. For the connoisseurs who carp that Twenty20 is a poor substitute for the intricacies of Test cricket, more..

Sept 18 (CT) Malaka Silva and Rehan Wijeratne along with five other suspects accused of assaulting an army Major on 9 September were remanded until 24 September by Colombo Fort Magistrate, Kanishka Wijeratne, yesterday. Police investigating the incident requested that the suspects be remanded till 1 October, and counsels appearing for the two main suspects, Malaka Silva and Rehan Wijeratne urged that they be released on bail on medical grounds. more..

Sept 18 (FT) Minister Mervyn Silva�s son Malaka and six others were remanded till 24 September by a Colombo Court on charges of having assaulted an Army Major and having robbed his service revolver and mobile phone. Rehan Wijeratne and five other personnel were among those remanded by Fort Magistrate Kanishka Wijeratne. On 9 September Army Major Pradeep Susena was alleged to have been assaulted by Malaka Silva and several others while at the JAIC Hilton. The suspects who had surrendered to the Kompannaveediya Police more..

Sept 18 (Island) Malaka Silva, Rehan Wijeratne and five others, wanted by police for allegedly assaulting two army officers at Hilton Residence, Colombo, on Sept 2, surrendered to the police yesterday around 8.00 a.m., Senior DIG, Anura Senanayake said. He said that the suspects were produced before the Colombo Fort Magistrate and were remanded till September 24. When asked why the investigations were delayed and the suspects were not arrested earlier, he said, "Investigations should more..