Jan 2 (CT) The headline story in yesterday's edition of this paper, titled 'Stripped and assaulted' isn't the kind of stuff you want to hear, when embarking on a new year, with hopes of change and new beginnings. But old ghosts appear to seamlessly segue from the past to the present, reminding us that changes won't happen simply because we wish it, or because we've changed the calendar.Police excesses, especially against women, is a harsh reality in 21st century Sri Lanka. more..

Jan 2 (CT) The state media continues their non-stop misinformation campaign on the impeachment move by the govt. Several ministers also participated in this media campaign. The central topics of the campaign are that it is the charges that are important, and not the process � meaning that whether the inquiry took place by a competent and impartial tribunal does not matter � and that judicial review into the proposed actions of the executive, such as the Divenaguma Bill, amount to more..

Jan 2 (CT) �On Sept 16, President Rajapaksa called for an investigation to verify a death threat against Paikiasothi Saravanamuttu, or �Sara�, Director of the Centre for Policy Alternatives. As mentioned in ref. A, Sara received a letter on Aug 20, 2009, threatening him with death for his alleged role in pushing the EU to revoke GSP-plus trade concessions for Sri Lanka. At the time he received the threat Sara immediately more..

Jan 2 (LT) The JVP has made arrangements to carry out awareness programmes to make Sri Lankans living abroad aware of the rising communalist and religious fanaticism in the country, the importance of defeating such tendencies and promoting harmony among all people. A campaign to distribute a hand bill stating �Let�s not allow any room for racial or religious conflicts! Develop unity amongst all people!� has been launched. The JVP committee in Qatar including its Organizer more..

Jan 2 (LBO) Sri Lanka has relaxed curbs on foreign exchange forward deals introduced last year and widened the net open positions for banks with effect from today, Central Bank Governor Nivard Cabraal said. Selected derivative products will also be allowed to be developed within broad guidelines to be issued in 2013 Cabraal said delivering a monetary policy road map for 2013. The Central Bank slapped trading curbs on banks during a balance of payments crisis last year. more..

Jan 2 (PTI) The UNP on Wednesday said it will boycott Thursday�s court hearing over the move to impeach Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake. �We will not attend court tomorrow as it is a matter concerning parliament. Our leader will be making a special statement on this�, UNP general secretary Tissa Attanayake told reporters. �This does not mean that we have changed our opposition on the impeachment ruling. more..

Jan 2 (CI) Sri Lanka have picked Kushal Perera, the wicketkeeper-batsman, for the limited-overs series in Australia, and spinner Ajantha Mendis makes a comeback after suffering a side strain during the World Twenty20 late last year. Mendis hasn't played ODI cricket since January last year. Perera replaces Kumar Sangakkara, who was ruled out of the tour last month due to a hand injury. Perera has had a good run in the Premier Limited Over Tournament, the List A competition more..

Jan 2 (LT) A campaign to distribute one million handbills throughout the island to make the working masses aware of uniting the employees of state, private and estate sectors into one front of struggle by the National Trade Union Center (NTUC) was launched yesterday. Many trade union leaders including the President of NTUC K.D. Lal Kanthe, the President of Inter Company Employees Union (ICEU) Wasanthe Samarasinghe, the President of All Ceylon Estate Workers Union (ACEWU) more..

Jan 2 (CI) The series is decided and the best Sri Lanka can hope for now is a competitive showing in the final Test in Sydney. They will have to do so without Kumar Sangakkara, who is comfortably Sri Lanka's best batsman of all time away from home. They will also have to do so without Chanaka Welegedara, who has been their leading wicket taker in this series. They may also need to do so without their first-choice gloveman more..

Jan 2 (OU) Political circles felt cabinet changes will occur in the beginning of this year, but it will not occur currently, states information. President Mahinda Rajapakse had decided to refrain from making any changes in the current cabinet is according to reliable circles. Currently a variety of crisis is faced in the political arena, and if changes are done in the cabinet, it will create abhorrence amidst the ruling sector associate parties. In this tensed situation, this would generate more..

Jan 2 (LBO) Sri Lanka will diversify its foreign reserve assets to reflect govt debt and Yuan denominated bonds are a candidate, Central Bank Governor Nivard Cabraal said. Sri Lanka has borrowings mainly in US dollars, Japanese Yen, Special Drawing Rights and Euro but China has become a large lender over the past five years. Though loans were initially US dollar denominated, over last year several large Yuan denominated loans have been approved. "Where we have loans more..

Jan 2 (Xinhua) The Sri Lankan govt on Wednesday said it has not yet taken a policy decision on the implementation of the death penalty. External Affairs Ministry Secretary Karunatillaka Amunugama said the issue that the death penalty should or should not be implemented in Sri Lanka has been debated in society in recent times. "However the govt has not taken a policy decision on this," he said. Sri Lanka had recently abstained from more..

Jan 2 (ANI) Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) has announced that it would release videos and pamphlets in multiple languages highlighting alleged atrocities committed on Sri Lankan Tamils by their govt during the civil war in that country. The MDMK's plan was outlined by its chief Vaiko during a news conference. "To create an awareness on what happened in the Sri Lankan Island, the genocide of Sri Lankan Tamils we are taking all possible efforts. more..

Jan 2 (CM) Former Sri Lankan batsman Russel Arnold has called for an overhaul of the side immediately following the Sydney Test, saying their ageing stars deserve to seek the paydays of rich domestic Twenty20 deals and new blood must be introduced. With Sri Lanka scheduled to play just seven Tests in 2013 following this tour, and those against minnows Bangladesh, Zimbabwe and then Pakistan, Arnold said the transition should start now. Stars Tillakaratne Dilshan (36), more..

Jan 2 (DM) Minister Johnston Fernando said today a Gazette Notification had been issued to specify the maximum retail price of drugs with effect from January 1. He said the decision was taken to prevent different pharmacists from selling the same medicinal drug at different prices even though they were manufactured by the same company. �Earlier the manufacturers, importers and pharmacists specified the more..

Jan 2 (IANS) If even half of what Frances Harrison has uncovered about what the Sri Lankan state did to crush the Tamil Tigers is true, then Colombo's political and military leadership can be in the dock for war crimes. The former BBC journalist talks to a few who got trapped in the LTTE war zone until the Tigers were vanquished and later made their way to the West -- with revolting stories of death, destruction, savagery, torture, rape and humiliation of an entire community heaped more..

Jan 2 (GDI) Another programme that came into effect with the dawn of the New Year yesterday was ensuring year 2013 as the Year for Prevention of Non Communicable Diseases for which the govt has allocated Rs. 300 million. Health Ministry officials said that Sri Lanka is among several other countries in the world that has a large population suffering from non communicable diseases. They said more than 70 percent of the country�s population has to take some medicinal drug, more..

Jan 2 (Xinhua) Central Bank released its economic Road Map for 2013 here on Wednesday projecting an upbeat 7.5% growth, single digit inflation and a better investment climate despite challenging local and global economic woes. The yearly event was attended by policy makers and top private sector officials. Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivaard Cabraal was buoyant on Sri Lanka's post-war progress despite 2012 growth being a more..

Jan 2 (Reuters) Stocks gained in heavy volume on Wednesday to a near 12-week high as a fall in fixed income yields prompted investors to turn to more risky assets, while the rupee ended up after the central bank said it would maintain a flexible exchange rate. The main share index closed 0.72%, or 40.79 points firmer, at 5,683.79, its highest close since Oct. 12. Analysts said the positive sentiment was due to easing interest rates and a rosy central bank outlook for 2013. more..

Jan 2 (F2F) Export Development Board (EDB) has devised a five year plan to support the country�s textile sector. The plan has been devised to boost investment in latest technology for textile processing and fabric manufacturing and human resource development by allowing an initial protection period on procurement of apt quality products at right price. The move is intended at enabling the textile sector to enhance its contribution as supplier of raw inputs to domestic apparel industry, more..

Jan 2 (LBO) Sri Lanka should cut losses and bank credit taken by CPC and CEB with better pricing in 2012, Central Bank Governor Nivard Cabraal said. Sri Lanka does not have a mechanism to regularly adjust important energy prices, which are based mostly on imported petroleum and pass through cost to the economy quickly, due to state intervention in pricing. A surge in unproductive credit to state energy utilities as a drought hit more..

Jan 2 (Island) The lives of many patients, suffering with spinal cord injuries, brain tumours and serious nervous disorders, are in jeopardy as consultant radiologists are not paid to work on the Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machines after 4.00 p.m. There are only six MRI machines installed at the Karapitiya, Kandy, Bandaranaike Children�s and Kurunegala Teaching hospitals, Maharagama Cancer Institute and the NHSL. The cost of an MRI machine is Rs.100 million. more..

Jan 2 (Island) The Sri Lanka Society for Medical Laboratory Science (SLSMLS) warned that full blood count (FBC) tests in several major hospitals would have to be stopped due to the shortage of the reagent for the test. Chairman of the SLSMLS, Ravi Kumudesh said that the suppliers had already stopped supplying the reagent to the Kalubowila Teaching Hospital (KTH) as they had not been paid. The FBC test is carried out to diagnose several diseases including dengue. more..

Jan 2 (CT) The Deyata Kirula exhibition is wasteful, corrupt and an absolute farce, and has little or no benefit to the people in the country, Deputy Leader of the UNP, Sajith Premadasa charged. Addressing the media in Narahenpita today, Premadasa condemned the excessive spending of the govt on what he termed as insignificant events that have no direct benefit for the people, but for the enjoyment and amusement of the affluent. more..

Jan 3 (NS) The economy declined in the third quarter owing to several external and internal shocks. A similar performance is expected in the fourth quarter though a few sectors - agriculture, tourism, and other services - may perform better. The economy in the first nine months of the year points to a drop in the annual economic growth by at least one percentage. The Department of Census and Statistics estimates the economy will grow by around 6.7% this year. The Central Bank more..

Jan 3 (CT) By destroying the public�s confidence, with a deceitful impeachment motion against the CJ launched for political reasons, the present regime has further demonstrated its true character; the creation of a free-for-all, everyone-for-himself economy�an economy in which the rich, powerful and organized can take advantage of the poor, unorganized and uneducated. The need of the hour of the learned people is to discredit the govt ethically and philosophically for all the anti-social more..

Jan 3 (Island) Many international teams have looked up to the Australian coaching system for success. Several countries, including Sri Lanka, have persuaded Australian state coaches to coach their countries. Perhaps the first time when an Australian state team looked out of the country to appoint a coach was when South African Micky Arthur was hired by Western Australia. New South Wales, a fortnight ago did the same when more..

Jan 3 (Island) It was not many moons ago that a top cricketing personality of this country died in a leading private hospital in Colombo, amid events that were by any reckoning controversial. The untimely death of this otherwise healthy person and the events that surrounded his death and immediate post-death scenario are enough to raise many an eye-brow as to the functioning of the private health sector in this country. According to family members, having walked into the hospital more..

Jan 3 (GV) The opening scene in the German-Sri Lanka feature film Machan (2008) unfolds at a garbage-strewn Colombo street, somewhere in the city�s underbelly. Three young men are putting up political posters, playing hide and seek with policemen on night patrol. Conversation reveals that the men are doing this to earn a few rupees. Soon, the inevitable question comes up. �Why don�t we get the hell out of this country?� asks one. The �patriotic� one replies, �Nothing like Sri Lanka. more..

Jan 3 (ST) Awareness of the Japanese aerial attack on Colombo harbour in April 1942 and the heroics of the pilots of the outnumbered Royal Air Force (RAF) Hurricane fighters lingers, as does the subsequent attack on Trincomalee with the loss of the aircraft carrier HMS Hermes. Less-known, however, is the quite different role played by the RAF in Ceylon during the remainder of the Second World War when the Japanese threat more..

Jan 3 (GV) The LLRC Action Plan gives great weight to land questions, which makes a lot of sense. Solving problems relating to land ownership and usage would go a long way towards satisfying personal needs with regard to what we have described as Recovery in the Draft National Policy on Reconciliation. While govt has done well with regard to the public aspects of Recovery, through large scale infrastructure projects and livelihood programmes, ensuring a sense of dignity more..

Jan 3 (CT) The great hopes of a leap forward to a new era that came with the end of the war have now been dispelled. The anticipated prosperity and inter-ethnic reconciliation that was expected to be Sri Lanka�s after the war has still not materialized. The continuing bailouts of loss making govt enterprises and the impeachment of the Chief Justice are but two examples of the failure of governance. The mobilization of the country to win the war has not been accompanied by a more..

Jan 3 (CT) Politically speaking, the year 2013 begins on an ominous note. The seasonal festivities may have dulled the fervour of the impeachment battle somewhat, but as the Court of Appeal prepares to take up CJ Shirani Bandaranayake�s writ application today, having issued notice to the 13 respondents cited in the petition � including the Speaker and the 11 members of the PSC that probed the more..

Jan 3 (NS) Couple of weeks ago this columnist found himself at a well known coffee shop in Colombo with one of his friends who is a journalist attached to a newspaper in the country. The friend casually glanced at the menu and the prices of food items and beverages took him by surprise. He then went on to compare food prices in Sri Lanka and those of other countries such as the US, Thailand and India. Food prices in Sri Lankan restaurants, according to him, are outrageously high. more..

Jan 3 (Island) President Ronald Reagan, Pope John Paul II and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher have entered history books as three influential leaders who set in motion a process that eventually brought down the Berlin Wall and caused the collapse of the Soviet Union thereby paving the way for a new world order. The disintegration of the mighty Soviet empire was viewed by the better-dead-than-red types as the demise of �communism�; they praised Reagan and the Pope for forging a �holy alliance� which, more..

Jan 3 (Island) The equity portfolio of the Employees� Provident Fund (EPF) managed by the Central Bank yielded Rs. 2,774 million in 2012, the bank�s governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal said yesterday. The fund grew 13% in 2012 to Rs. 1.15 trillion of which Rs. 301 billion was invested in govt securities, "to benefit from high interest rates," Cabraal said. Despite the controversy the EPF management continues to fuel, Cabraal said dividends and more..

Jan 3 (DN) There is a high possibility of cyber attacks in the wake of the development and expansion of Internet facilities, Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said. He was addressing the inauguration of the 5th annual Cyber Security Week organised by the Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Readiness Team Coordination Centre (Sri Lanka CERTCC), the representative of Sri Lanka Information and Telecommunication Technological Institute (ICTA) yesterday. more..

Jan 3 (DN) The govt will provide vocational training to 40 percent of the school going population, Minister Dullas Alahapperuma said. Participating at a ceremony to present appointment letters to Vocational Training Authority (VTA) staff at the VTA recently, he said a country cannot forge ahead without developing the country's vocational training sector. �Since President Rajapaksa realised this, a Vocational Training University was established to encourage more youths to enter the field. more..

Jan 3 (DN) The Value Added Tax (VAT) of 12.5% had been imposed only for supermarkets having a turn over of Rs 500 million for a quarter, Minister Johnston Fernando said. He further said if those supermarkets were selling essential food items, the VAT would not be applied for listed essential food items. He said the general public should not worry about the VAT, as it was only for large scale profit making supermarkets. more..

Jan 3 (Island) Opposition law maker Dr. Harsha De Silva yesterday questioned the Central Bank�s per capita income estimates but commended the bank�s professional staff for their hard work. "Unlike last year, the 2013 Monetary Policy Road Map seems more realistic indicating it is possible to learn from past mistakes. The hard work of the professional staff of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) must be commended for developing such a comprehensive presentationand more..