Aug 17 (Island) Medical experts have warned that consuming milk products with a high calcium content could lead to various complications. Prof. Sisira Siribaddana of the Rajarata University Faculty of Medicine and President of the Sri Lanka Osteoporosis Association warned people not to consume milk products with a high calcium content. He said that there were many milk products in the market with high calcium content. more..

Aug 17 (Island) More than 21,000 private buses, operating in the country, are forced to pay a staggering Rs. 120 million a month in extortion. "The private bus owners in the country have to oil the palms of those racketeers especially �time keepers� with Rs. 200 each day for their turns at bus stands. Therefore, each month bus owners have to pay as much as Rs. 120 million if they wished to run their buses, Lanka Private Bus Owners more..

Aug 17 (CT) The Mayor and the Deputy Mayor of the Nuwara Eliya Municipal Council are in hot water, the former for accepting bribes while the latter is accused of abusing five underage children. Deputy Mayor, Tissa Seneviratne, accused of child abuse, is on the run and the police have launched a hunt, police said. The Deputy Mayor earlier lodged a complaint with the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or more..

Aug 17 (DM) The Ministry of Rehabilitation and Prison Reforms is to establish a prison school at a cost of Rs.40 million for young inmates to rehabilitate and provide them with education which will help them to be better citizens. The proposal was made as the number of young inmates in prisons has increased as most of them were arrested for using or possessing ganja, heroin as well as for more..

Aug 17 (PTI) The DMK on Saturday demanded that India should not participate in the CHOGM in Colombo in November this year and warned of protests and hoisting of black flags State-wide if its demand was not acceded by the Centre. �If the request is ignored by the Centre, black flags will be hoisted atop homes and commercial establishments, besides staging rail roko, to express the feelings of Tamils and condemning more..

Aug 17 (PTI) Sri Lanka's Foreign Minister G.L. Peiris will arrive in New Delhi tomorrow to invite India for the Heads of Commonwealth Summit to be held here in November. Some political parties have asked India not to participate in the summit to protest against alleged human rights violation by the Rajapaksa Govt. During his visit, Peiris is also likely to discuss bilateral issues with Indian authorities. Peiris� visit will be followed by the UNP leader more..

Aug 17 (ST) In the wake of the ongoing annual Kataragama Esela Festival, environmentalists and officials have called upon pilgrims to be mindful of not polluting the sacred city with garbage. Shasheendra Rajapakse, the Kataragama Basnayake Nilame told the media that the festival that started on August 7 and continued till the 20th annually attracts thousands of pilgrims. He said although additional garbage bins are placed in many places pilgrims dump their food and more..

Aug 17 (CT) With due respect, I think President Mahinda Rajapaksa needs a lesson on economics. By profession he is a lawyer and we do not expect him to know everything about economics, but since he being the Commander in Chief in regard to the nation�s economy holding the portfolio of the Minister of Finance, the nation expects him to know a little bit about economics when he interpret economic policy. This is a challenge for any president who is not an economist by profession. more..

Aug 17 (Island) The Postal Department has decided to jack up local postal rates and plans are being made to announce the increase within the next two weeks, Postal Services Ministry sources said. Under the revision, the normal postal rate, which currently is Rs 05, would be increased to between Rs 12 and 15 and the business postal rate would go up to between Rs 20 and 25 from the current Rs 15. more..

Aug 17 (CT) This piece is a response to Ms. Shenali D. Waduge�s recent article �The Existential Fears of Buddhists in Sri Lanka must be given high priority and addressed without delay� published on August 13th, in Lankaweb. Having read the article and the even more dangerous comments it gathered, I could not help myself but feel outrage at each line, or should I say each word, I had the misfortune to read. The one and only sentence on which I agree with in Ms. Waduge�s article is when she says more..

Aug 17 (CT) The Ministry of Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare recently stated that employment opportunities will be made available for more Sri Lankan youth in Israel soon. Addressing a ceremony at the Maduru Oya Army Training Camp, Minister of Foreign Employment and Promotion Welfare, Dilan Perera, stated many problems had arisen due to many Sri Lankans working illegally in Israel. However, he was working with the Israeli Government to overcome such issues, and more..

Aug 17 (CI) Kandurata Maroons will represent Sri Lanka in the Champions League T20 qualifiers next month in India, after they overcame a meandering Basnahira Greens by seven wickets in the Super Fours final. Kandurata had been the best side of the tournament, having won their first two matches, and in this game accomplished what no other team had done before - win a match batting second. more..

Aug 17 (CT) Most of the local environmental organizations do not put their best foot forward in getting the various issues connected with water in many areas of the country addressed effectively, the People�s Campaign for Free Water Rights (PCFWR), charged. Environmentalist, Ravindra Kariyawasam, said as a result of the inactivity on the part of the large majority of these environmental organizations, the general public has been compelled to wage a lonely battle more..

Aug 17 (ST) A woman was run over by the Badulla � Colombo train opposite the Kandy Courts Complex on Monday evening, while she was engaged in speaking on a cell phone. It could be counted as the one hundredth victim on this stretch of road, between the Getambe level crossing and the Kandy Courts Complex on William Gopallawa Mawatha. The victim, a middle aged woman, who remains unidentified due to the state of her body, had been dragged by the train for nearly 300 feet more..

Aug 17 (CT) TNA MP, S. Sritharan, was questioned for the fifth time by the TID in Kilinochchi yesterday. Sritharan said that he was questioned by Officer-In-Charge of TID, Prasanna de Alwis, along with two other TID officials, Thilakaratne and Uthayakuma at the TNA�s Kilinochchi office Arivakam, about his recent visit to Canada. �The TID contacted me three days ago and said they wanted to talk to me about the issues with regard more..

Aug 17 (CI) Sri Lanka Cricket will be the only home board to directly receive the participation fee for the Champions League Twenty20, tournament technical committee member Sundar Raman has said. All other participants are either club, provincial or franchise sides, but the Kandurata Maroons, who will represent Sri Lanka, are effectively an extension of SLC. As such, the board will be paid the US $500,000 fee. "We are not concerned about whether it's a club or a franchise more..

Aug 17 (ST) The Supreme Court directed the Valikamam Pradeshiya Sabha to remove all the name boards carrying the name �Sinthupuram� from all public premises in the Valikamam PS area until the correct procedure to change the name is followed and adhered to. The SC gave this order after considering a fundamental rights petition filed by the residents of Vaddukoddai, citing 32 respondents including the Attorney General. The petitioners state that from time immemorial more..

Aug 17 (PHC) The High Commission of Pakistan and the Pakistani community in Sri Lanka celebrated the 67th Independence Day of Pakistan with traditional fervor and resolve to make Pakistan a strong, dynamic progressive tolerant and democratic Islamic welfare state. The High Commissioner of Pakistan in Sri Lanka Maj Gen (R) Qasim Qureshi hoisted the national flag of Pakistan in an impressive ceremony at the more..

Aug 17 (E24|7) A three-old toddler accidently got stuck in between bars of the balcony at the hotel were his family was lodging. The British boy got his head in between the iron bars of at he balcony railing of Kandy Queen's Hotel in the Central Hills in Sri Lanka. His family was on a sight-seeing trip to the place, when the accident took place on Monday evening. The hotel staff handled the situation efficiently by immediately alerting the civil defense and police whom inturn rushed to the site more..

Aug 17 (E24|7) A monk at a temple in Sri Lanka is accused of raping a teenager. The 15-year-old consulted the suspect for Ayurvedic treatment when she was allegedly tranquilised and molested. The girl's mother told police that she had accompanied her daughter to the monk to avail of the treatment. However, she claimed that the monk had asked her to wait outside as he took the girl for treatment. It was only when she her the screams of her daughter that she rushed in and discovered that more..

Aug 17 (LB) The spotlight will be on Sri Lanka during the CHOGM, which will be held in Colombo in November, to demonstrate its commitment to the Commonwealth values, the British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, John Rankin has said. "We will look to Sri Lanka, as we would any host, to demonstrate its commitment to Commonwealth values, including on freedom of expression, freedom of the media and more..

Aug 17 (DN) An investigation into malpractices, irregularities and corruptions alleged to have occurred for long at Galle Kitulampitiya Ruhunu Children's Home and Senahasa Child Probation Home managed by the Southern Province Childcare and Probation department was launched by the provincial Childcare and Probation commissioner on the instructions of Southern Province Sports, Rural Development, Rural Industries, Women's Affairs and Social Services minister U.G.D. Ariyathilake. more..

Aug 17 (Island) Sosuke Shinozaki, General Manager, Automotive & Aerospace Coatings, Akzo Nobel K.K Japan, made an official visit to Sri Lanka recently. The objective of his visit was to rebuild and reconfirm the business relationships with local auto giants Toyota, Nissan and Mitsubishi being key clients under his preview. "The business discussions were very successful and extremely happy about the response we got, we see lot of opportunities here," Shinozaki said. more..

Aug 17 (LB) UK companies have won over US$ 3 billion worth business contracts in Sri Lanka in the last quarter, the British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka John Rankin has said. The multi-million dollar contracts won by the UK companies are in the construction sector and in the airline sector for air frames and aero engines. Rankin has revealed these during his address at the annual general meeting of the Council for more..

Aug 17 (LB) Chennai-based Indian Bank plans to open three more branches in Sri Lanka within the next year. Indian Bank Chairman and Managing Director T.M. Bhasin has said the new branches will be opened in Trincomalee, and Batticaloa in Eastern Province and Hambantota in the Southern Province. The new branches will be opened by June 2014, the Chairman has said. The official told Indian media that he will be visiting Sri Lanka to meet the Indian High Commissioner in Colombo on August 27 more..

Aug 17 (CT) A group of five TNA supporters who were putting up posters in support of the alliance candidate, M.M. Rathan, in the Vavuniya District, were arrested in Kanakarayankulam. Sources said at the time of the arrest, they had around 700 posters, in bundles, in their possession. They were subsequently produced before the Vavuniya Magistrate who released them on bail, sources said. According to the Vavuniya Police, the supporters had been putting up posters along the more..

Aug 17 (Hindu) When Bala Thampoe, a young Botany lecturer, was asked to address a group of workers on trade union and political rights for public servants, he had no idea what to do. Like many young Marxists, the working class was just a category in his mind. �Students become Leftists without any grasp of the working class movement, I was no different,� he confesses. Even now �comrade Bala�, the oldest active more..

Aug 17 (LB) The National Water Supply & Drainage Board (NWSDB) has planned to initiate a bottled water project to provide potable water to the areas of the country where safe drinking water is scarce or not available. NWSDB sources say that the state board expects to introduce the bottled water to the market at a lower price than the average market price. At present, Sri Lanka's bottled water industry is almost entirely run by the private sector. NWSDB plans to introduce the bottled water to more..

Aug 17 (DN) The laboratory report on two samples of whey protein imported to be mixed with other food items was handed over to the Health Ministry by the MRI yesterday. The results of the laboratory tests will be announced once all tests are done, a Health Ministry spokesman said. According to the spokesman, the MRI is now testing milk powder samples and over 250 samples of other food items containing whey protein for the bacteria, Clostridium Botulinum which causes Botulism. more..

Aug 17 (LBT) Water should never be made a weapon, said Minister Basil Rajapaksa in Anuradhapura yesterday. The country was once again reaching self sufficiency despite various problems in its development process, said the minister addressing an international conference on water. Minister Rajapaksa, who participated as the chief guest also recalled how the British colonialists had destroyed the country�s ancient tanks, more..

Aug 18 (NS) The UN website carrying a small news item on Wednesday said, �the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, will make an official visit to Sri Lanka and will be in the island from 25-31, at the invitation of the Sri Lankan Govt.� The same news item further said that Pillay will call on the President Rajapaksa, some ministers and high ranking officials. The UN also expects her to have talks with senior judicial figures, members of the Human Rights Commission and more..

Aug 18 (SL) The Dipped Products Factory of Hayleys, a global leader in the manufacture of non medical gloves, has been closed down for the past two weeks following public demonstrations which demanded its closure on the allegation that the factory was responsible for pollution of groundwater in its vicinity. No pronouncement has been made by the govt authorities that the factory was found to have been responsible for the alleged offence but it has been shut down on the orders of more..

Aug 18 (SO) Robust and forthright in debate, he would not easily give in to his rival. He galvanised the Consumer Affairs Authority into ction in the interest of the consumer. Minister Johnston Fernando keeps a vigilant eye on unscrupulous elements who try to exploit the consumer. The Minister said that it is not factually correct that the UNP has suffered the present setbacks due to the lack of a strong leadership on the part of more..

Aug 18 (NS) There is a set of people who blame all the ills of this country on what they call �majoritarianism�. Majority is a word that is used to refer to Sinhalese, Buddhists and Sinhala-Buddhists. Majoritarianism is not a complimentary term. In tone, inflection and facial expression, derision is pinned on it. Interestingly, the terms �multi-ethnic� and �multi-religious� are typically thrown in when talking of majoritarianism, while relevant numbers pertaining to percentages are studiously left out more..

Aug 18 (Island) The front page lead story in yesterday�s The Island highlighted a report that superintendents of state-owned and managed estates are resigning for fear of arrest over the non-payment of EPF and ETF dues of their employees. It said that the Superintendent of Kumarawatte Estate in Moneragala had spent a night in the police lock-up before he was released following the intervention of the Ceylon Planters� Society. This superintendent, fearing further harassment, had decided to more..

Aug 18 (SO) A former militant turned politician and now a Cabinet Minister in the present UPFA Govt, Douglas Devananda prior to the announcement of the Provincial Council elections for the North expressed his willingness to contest the elections as the Chief Ministerial candidate. But his name was missing in the UPFA Nominations List. Instead of contesting the elections, Minister Devananda has taken a lead role in the more..

Aug 18 (ST) The imported milk food crisis that is playing all over the media these days has now been elevated to a cabinet-level committee with doctors, dieticians, nutritionists, sports medicine specialists, public health inspectors, milk producers, exporters and importers, Health Ministry officials, GMOA frontliners all in the fray. The bottom line seems to be that one of the world�s largest milk producers in experimenting with a new fertiliser product used for the pastures that feed the cows, triggered an more..

Aug 18 (ST) My Dear Prince Charles, I thought of writing to you when I heard that you had confirmed your attendance at the CHOGM, representing the Old Girl, your mum, who now finds it too tiring to undertake long journeys to far flung countries such as ours. Of course we are very aware that you too are not exactly the picture of youth, now that you are also a grandfather. In fact, a little bird tells me that you will be celebrating your sixty fifth birthday in Sri Lanka, so by the time you leave our shores, more..

Aug 18 (SL) UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake says that while the recent water crisis in the Rathupaswala area has not been properly addressed, the relocation of the controversial factory would not solve the problem. He observed that it is the inaction of the Govt to address the water crisis in Rathupaswala that resulted in the protest ending with the death of three youths. �What happens is they develop a company, then people come more..

Aug 18 (SO) At the time V Prabhakaran led the world's deadliest terrorist outfit, he was deeply cognizant that moderate and tight-thinking Tamils in the North and the East would prefer democratic Tamil leaders rather than the Tiger leadership. He adopted a strategy to tackle this problem and summoned almost all Tamil leaders of political parties and former terrorist groups which had entered mainstream politics. The only two prominent Tamil leaders whom he could not more..