Feb 12 (DM) Sri Lankan High Commissioner to New Delhi, Prasaad Kariyawasam in a wide ranging interview with India�s Rajya Sabha TV said that Sri Lanka�s relationship with China should be based on the premise that the �strategic balance in the Indian ocean is not altered�. �We want to make sure that it doesn�t alter strategic balances in the Indian Ocean. The Indian Ocean must be a zone of peace. Sri Lanka will work with India more..

Feb 12 (DM) Sri Lanka cricket team manager Charith Senanayake�s term in charge of the Sri Lanka team has effectively come to an end with the SLC Ex-Co deciding to keep him out of the forthcoming Bangladesh tour, but Senanayake said yesterday he needs a clarification from SLC if he is �sacked� or he has been �relieved of the duties.� Yesterday�s Daily Mirror headline about Senanayake�s removal used the more..

Feb 12 (Island) Sri Lanka would open a new Embassy in Baharain next month to formalise the diplomatic relations with the Gulf state, SLBFE Chairman Amal Senalankadikara said. He said that the govt had taken the decision to serve the country�s expatriates, numbering over 25,000, employed in that country. Govt has appointed R.M.A. Rajakaruna as the new Sri Lankan Ambassador to Bahrain and more..

Feb 12 (DM) Spokesperson for the Commonwealth Secretariat, denied that Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Kamalesh Sharma �made any statement with regard to Sri Lanka as the host venue of the CHOGM in Nov 2013�. Below is the full text of the statement: Contrary to some media reports, Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma has not made any statements today with regard to Sri Lanka as host venue more..

Feb 12 (CG) Cardinal Albert Malcolm Ranjith has been named as a possible candidate to succeed Pope Benedict XVI by Forbes magazine. Pope Benedict XVI, 85, made the surprise announcement that he would step down on February 28, citing his advanced age. Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi, said a successor could be elected by Easter, which falls on March 31. Already speculation is running rampant. more..

Feb 12 (AFP) Sri Lanka on Tuesday dropped plans for a fresh $1.0-billion loan from the IMF following disagreements over how the money should be spent, the central bank said. The govt announced last month that it was seeking a new cash infusion from the IMF after drawing down a previous $2.6-billion bailout loan six months ago. "Sri Lankan authorities have decided not to pursue a new programme with the IMF, but to continue more..

Feb 12 (CT) Commonwealth Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma is currently on a visit to the island. One could assume this is a 'first hand reconnaissance' mission as Sri Lanka is expected to feature in the agenda of the next round of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) meeting, following the sacking of the Chief Justice, Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake, by the govt in what is considered a politicized and deeply flawed process. It will take a great deal of convincing by more..

Feb 12 (Island) Hostile attitudes in some sections directed at the Muslim community raise the issue, once again, of whether nation-building, in the truest sense of the phrase, has ever got underway in Sri Lanka. While it could be argued that from 1948, there has been a measure of participatory democracy in this country, this does not necessarily translate into nation-building, correctly understood and conceptualized. Essentially, the even-handed empowerment of communities based on more..

Feb 12 (Island) An appeal was filed in the Supreme Court yesterday seeking to set aside the writ of certiorari, issued by the Court of Appeal, in respect of the findings of the PSC against the then Chief Justice Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake. The appellant by S. K. Hewage of Gampaha said that the Court of Appeal had no jurisdiction at all to quash the proceedings and findings of the PSC. The Court of Appeal said that it issued a writ because the Supreme Court had said that the PSC, more..

Feb 12 (Island) Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal yesterday said that if private sector banks violated the Customer Charter issued by the Central Bank they would have to face the consequences. The Medical Administrators� Forum (MAF) has complained to the Director General of Health Services and the Central Bank Governor that some private banks keep calling doctors and nurses while they are on duty on matters such as personal loans. The MAF said that some leading more..

Feb 12 (CT) �Taking an evenhanded tone, Palihakkara stated that he surmised the LTTE�s motives for playing a �surprise card� in Oslo were two fold. First, they wanted to demonstrate to the Tamil diaspora, which in large part funds the terrorist organization either willingly or unwillingly, that the E.U. ban had neither affected their fundraising and recruitment abilities nor their resolve. Second, Palihakkara contended, the LTTE wanted more..

Feb 12 (CG) A brothel operating in Colpetty was raided by the police last night and nine people were arrested including three foreign women. The police media unit said that the brothel was operating from within the premises of a restaurant along the Galle road. A sting operation conducted by the police resulted in the arrest of eight women and a man. The police said that among those arrested were two women from Thailand and a Chinese woman. All the local women who were arrested are more..

Feb 12 (CG) A shipping lane near Sri Lanka has been found to be heavily polluted, a NASA report and images showed. NASA said that for more than a decade, scientists have observed �ship tracks� in natural-color satellite imagery of the ocean. These bright, linear trails amidst the cloud layers are created by particles and gases from ships. They are a visible manifestation of pollution from ship exhaust, and scientists can now see that ships have a more subtle, almost invisible, more..

Feb 12 (DM) Operations at Sri Lanka�s second international airport in Mattala will begin on March 18 with the three days a week SriLankan airline flights from the Katunayake BIA to Riyadh via Mattala. President Rajapaksa had instructed officials to make arrangements to launch international flights on March 18. On the same day the Chinese Eastern Airlines will fly from Shanghai to the BIA via Mattala. more..

Feb 12 (DM) Minister Wimal Weerawansa said Japanese children are known to be intelligent because they consume a large quantity of Tuna (Balaya) fish. �How did the Japanese rise after being destroyed by the war? How did their brains develop to the extent of being able to produce technological marvels? They changed their style of consumption and education. They used to catch hordes of Tuna (Balaya) fish and consume it. There is no other fish that helps intelligence as much as more..

Feb 12 (LT) �Valentine�s Day that is related to the struggle carried out by Count Valentine against the brutal dictatorial regime should not allowed to be made a day of selling goods and the Socialist Youth Union (SYU) will be launching a programme under the theme �A tomorrow that doesn�t have a price, dowry or differences of cast or creed for love� says the National Organizer of SYU Bimal Rathnayaka. He said, �We thought of drawing the attention of the masses to the programme the SYU is more..

Feb 12 (LBO) Indian Oil Corporation's Sri Lanka unit said a shipment of diesel which had been held up at Colombo port following a quality test was found to be off specification in colour and appearance and not in core chemical properties. The contract for 7,562 metric tonnes for diesel was awarded to Glencore Singapore of which 4,712 metric tonnes was to be discharged in Colombo and 2,850 metric tonnes in Trincomalee. more..

Feb 12 (GDI) Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma called on President Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees on Monday at Temple Trees. Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris, Monitoring MP Sajin de Vass Gunawardena and Secretary to the President Mr. Lalith Weeratunga were also present. Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma arrived in Sri Lanka on Sunday commencing his four-day official visit to Sri Lanka to discuss issues of mutual interest between more..

Feb 12 (N360) Sri Lanka�s Hunter and Company PLC has discovered a fraud at Lanka Canneries Private Limited, a sub subsidiary of the firm, amounting to a sum of Rs. 44.5 million. A stock market disclosure by Hunter says the fraud has been confirmed by a forensic audit performed by the KPMG. Accordingly, Lanka Canneries is now in the process of making a complaint to the CID. The market disclosure says, action will be taken against those responsible and every effort will more..

Feb 12 (CT) The National Transport Commission (NTC) today assured that there will not be a hike in bus fares on 14 Feb 2013, though the bus owners are demanding for a hike in bus fares. NTC Chairman Roshan Gunawardane stated that overall cost of running buses have not increased by a large percentage since bus fare was increased in February 2012. However, if there will be a specific diesel price hike, NTC will have to increase more..

Feb 12 (Reuters) Sri Lankan stocks slipped from a two-week high on Tuesday after the central bank said the country had decided not to pursue a new IMF loan after months of discussion. The main share index fell 0.26 percent, or 15.24 points, to end at 5,836.11. The central bank said Sri Lankan authorities had decided not to pursue the new loan from the IMF, which had said it may not be in a position to consider any direct or indirect budget support to Sri Lanka. more..

Feb 12 (CG) President Mahinda Rajapaksa has ordered the release of the Jaffna university students who were detained last December. The police had arrested several students following tensions which arose in Jaffna in December but eventually freed most of them. A release by the government information department said that the President had ordered the release of the students following an appeal put forward by the parents when the President visited Jaffna today. more..

Feb 12 (PTI) Indian Oil Corporation Lanka on Tuesday expressed concern over media reports suggesting the island nation government was planning a takeover of its oil storage tanks in the north-eastern port district of Trincomalee. When asked for his comments, Lanka IOC Managing Director Subodh Dakwale said while there was no official intimation yet he was �concerned and disturbed when there are more..

Feb 12 (CT) Southern Province Chief Minister, Shan Wijeyalal de Silva, described the attempts by the UNP Leader, Ranil Wickremesinghe to form an opposition alliance as ludicrous, especially when he is not able to unite his own party members. Such an alliance, if formed, will be short-lived, he added. He said: "The UNP is a party that has been around for a long time and has given leadership to the country in the past. However, due to Wcikremesinghe's style of leadership, the party has fallen apart. more..

Feb 12 (CG) The police arrested eight would-be illegal immigrants from Chilaw as they were preparing to leave for Australia and Canada. According to the police the would-be illegal immigrants were attempting to go by boat to their destinations. Those arrested are residents of Jaffna, Point Pedro, Karawedi and Kadariweli and are aged between 19 and 42 years. The would-be illegal immigrants are to be produced in court today. Illegal immigrants being arrested in Sri Lanka while more..

Feb 12 (IL) The 65th National Independence Day of Sri Lanka was celebrated, on the 04th of February at the official residence of the Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Germany, in Berlin. The celebrations were presided over by the Ambassador Sarath Kongahage. Representatives of Berlin based Sri Lankan Associations, Organisations, all Sri Lankan communities, and the staff of the Embassy of Sri Lanka, participated at the occasion. more..

Feb 12 (CT) Against the backdrop of the mass hunger strike by more than 20,000 civilians in Thellipalai, Jaffna, on 14 Feb, TNA Spokesman, Suresh Premachandran, alleged more than 10,000 acres of land belonging to civilians had been occupied by the army. "This event is being organized by the people from 13 refugee camps in the area, and we will be there to support them. It is their land which is still being used by the military for their own purposes. A total of 27 Grama Seva more..

Feb 12 (PTI) Over 500 activists of various pro-Tamil outfits, including cadres of MDMK, were detained today after they protested in front of the UNICEF office here in support of their demand for democratic rights to ethnic Tamils in Sri Lanka. "United Nations must conduct a referendum to enable ethnic Tamils to get their democratic rights in Sri Lanka," MDMK leader Vaiko said. Joined by Tamil Nationalist Movement leader Pala Nedumaran, the MDMK leader said that they did not believe in more..

Feb 12 (PTI) Former Sri Lankan players Marvan Atapattu and Chaminda Vaas have been named assistant coach and fast bowling coach in the latest shake up of Sri Lanka Cricket set up, SLC officials said Tuesday. Atapattu, 42, a former captain and opening batsman has been promoted to be the assistant coach from his current position of batting coach. The move followed Monday's appointment of Michael de Zoysa more..

Feb 13 (DBS) In the heat and dust kicked off by issues such as the impeachment of Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake, Sri Lanka missed what could well have emerged as a national discourse on an issue of equal, if not greater import. At the heart of National Languages and Social Integration Minister Vasudeva Nanayakara�s suggestion for a bi-lingual �national anthem�, in Sinahala and Tamil, to ensure speedier ethnic harmony in these years after �Eelam War IV�. Only then would have more..

Feb 13 (DBS) I have now served two and a half years in Parliament. This would have been half the term in the old days before the United Front govt of 1970 extended its own term by two years, and added one year to all future terms. This began the rot of Parliament expanding its own powers and privileges, which the Jayewardene govt of 1977 took even further, extending its term to over 11 long and woeful years. These terms, it should be noted, are not fixed, and the govt in power more..

Feb 13 (NS) According to media reports, Sri Lankan born scientist Dr Chandra Wicramasinghe has claimed that some micro bio forms have been found in a meteoric, supposed to have fallen in Ampara, Aralaganwila area. If it is the case, it would be the most remarkable discovery in the annals of our bio history as we are yet to detect any species or bio form, in or from space or universe. Last December was a month full of more..

Feb 13 (NS) The challenge with disaster warnings is to make the best possible decisions quickly using imperfect information. With lives and livelihoods at stake, there is much pressure to get it right. But simultaneously one can�t be timely and totally accurate. Only govts can balance these factors. No other entity can take on the responsibilities and attendant liabilities of issuing public warnings that may result in mass evacuations. Timely decisions taken on the basis of the best available more..

Feb 13 (NS) The writer keen to make the public aware of the sanctity of the Sri Dalada Maligawa, where the sacred tooth relic of the Buddha is kept, writes of the dos and donts when visiting There are lands and places that are sacred and worshiped by many, of all religions and races. These places become the most visited not only because of its religious importance, but also due to its archaeological value. Many cities in the �Pearl of the Indian Ocean� are noted the world over for more..

Feb 13 (SO) President Rajapaksa reiterated the necessity to protect water resources for the future generation. He said, as our ancestors had protected this valuable resource, we benefit from it. He was the chief guest at the opening ceremony of the Greater Trincomalee Integrated Water Supply Project. Addressing the gathering after opening the Water Supply Project at the Kantale Water Treatment Plant, he said nearly 43% more..

Feb 13 (CT) There are similarities and continuities between the impeachment and banishment of CJ Shirani Bandaranayake from the Supreme Court and the disenfranchisement of Mrs. Sirima Bandaranaike and her banishment from Parliament more than thirty years earlier. The obvious common ground is that Sri Lanka�s male politicians managed to get rid of two women at the highest levels in public life by foul means. First, it was the world�s first female Prime Minister, and now it is Sri Lanka�s first more..

Feb 13 (CT) The opportunity that President Rajapaksa may have had last week to visit New Delhi and canvas Indian govt support for the forthcoming session of the UNHRC in Geneva had to be abandoned due to protests that erupted from Tamil Nadu state in South India. The President�s brief trip triggered protests in Tamil Nadu as well as in New Delhi and Tirupati over allegations that he was denying Tamils in his country equal rights. The President�s declared purpose in visiting India more..

Feb 13 (Island) A shocking revelation has been made while the stage is being set for a grand Human Rights summit in Geneva; children continue to die in their hundreds in US drone attacks in the frontier provinces of Pakistan, where the Americans are fighting their war on terror from a safe distance. In 2006, in a single attack on a madrassah, as many as 69 children were killed according to the international media. The US has a right to hunt down terrorists who commit crimes against more..