Nov 5 (DM) UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe said that he had made a historical decision to handover powers to the leadership council. �The party will be administered by a leadership council instead of a leader,� he said after the working committee meeting at Sirikotha. He also recalled that he once proposed a new constitution under which a council would govern the country instead of an executive President and said more..

Nov 5 (Island) A Buddhism master at a school in Aralaganwila allegedly hit a student who was having his lunch for bringing his food wrapped in a polythene sheet, last Friday. The victim, Nimantha Dilshan Seneviratne, has been admitted to Ward 19 of the Polonnaruwa General Hospital with a burst ear drum. Wilyaya Central College has banned students from bringing polythene to school to prevent environmental pollution but teachers had not been authorised to punish students, more..

Nov 5 (Island) CMC Commissioner Mrs. Bhadrani Jayawardene has been accused of contravening the Council�s financial regulations. The accusation has been leveled by JVP Councillor of the CMC Sunil Watagala. He alleged that Mrs. Jayawardene had contravened the Council�s financial regulations and paid Rs. 10 million to the Army for the construction of 41 bus stands along the roads, in the city, which would be used by delegates attending the CHOGM from November 15 to 17. more..

Nov 5 (Island) The UNP, CAFFE and the CHR yesterday lashed out at the govt for �stepping up intimidatory tactics against the media�, while there was a marked increase in state actors violating the human and political rights of the people. General Secretary of the UNP, Tissa Attanayake MP, addressing journalists in Colombo, having petitioned the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka, over the arrest of a large number of more..

Nov 5 (PIB) Indian PM, Dr. Manmohan Singh, has condoled the passing away of Sri Lankan economist Gamani Corea. In his condolence message, the Prime Minister described Gamani Corea as an outstanding international civil servant and diplomat, a brilliant economist and above all, a warm and caring human being. Following is the text of the Prime Minister�s message: �I am deeply saddened to learn that Gamani Corea is no more. Gamani was an outstanding international civil servant more..

Nov 5 (ENS) The Madras High Court (Madurai Bench) has sought the State Govt�s view on a petition filed by World Tamil Confederation leader Pazha Nedumaran seeking permission to inaugurate a memorial for the Tamils killed in Mullaivaikkal during the end stage Eelam War in Sri Lanka in May 2009. The memorial �Mullaivaikkal Ninaivu Mutram� has been constructed in Vilar Panchayat in Thanjavur district. In his petition Nedumaran submitted that the memorial was constructed more..

Nov 5 (Island) Sapugaskanda Oil Refinery is scheduled to be closed for two reasons. One reason is insufficient stocks of crude oil and the other the delay in delivery of the expected stocks of crude purchased directly from countries like Singapore, Malaysia and Dubai. Going by the present scenario it would be wise to purchase refined fuel, as the country was gearing itself for an international conference within less than more..

Nov 5 (DM) The govt is to seek an interpretation on the 18th Amendment to the Constitution from the Supreme Court regarding the time period during which a Presidential Election could be held during the second term of office of the incumbent. Accordingly, the govt is to seek a direction from the Supreme Court due to the fact that the 18th amendment to the Constitution which removed the two term bar of a President, does not contain clauses which state the period during which more..

Nov 5 (Hindu) MDMK general secretary Vaiko demanded that Sri Lanka be suspended from the Commonwealth for alleged war crimes. Talking to presspersons after meeting president of DVK leader Kolathur Mani, he recalled that Pakistan, Nigeria, Uganda and Fiji had been suspended from the Commonwealth in the past. �The suspension will be the best lesson for Sri Lanka for the atrocities against Tamils. �It will not make a big difference even if India does not participate in the CHOGM more..

Nov 5 (TOI) India has denied a visa to Callum Macrae, the director of a documentary that exposed war crimes in Sri Lanka. Macrae, whose team was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize last year, made news again last Thursday when UK's Channel 4 telecast footage acquired from him showing LTTE TV anchor-actor Isai Priya's capture during the last phase of the Lankan war. Priya was found dead on May 18, 2009, more..

Nov 5 (DM) This article is the first of a two-part series on the post-2015 and the post-Millennium Development Goals (MDG) processes. Following the Rio+20 Summit in June 2012 (also known as the UN Conference on Sustainable Development), the United Nations initiated a process to define the next global development agenda, which includes a set of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for the period after 2015. This process is likely to result in a development framework that more..

Nov 5 (DM) Occasionally, there have been reports about teachers of govt schools treating students inhumanely, in the guise of or in the name of punishment for misdeeds or misbehavior. The latest report comes from a school in Denipitiya in Weligama where a female teacher had allegedly slit the trousers of a schoolboy with a pair of scissors, from the hem to the pocket. The reason given was that the garment was too tight and the teacher had wanted to discipline the student more..

Nov 5 (SL) The Board of Investments (BOI) is once again embroiled in a controversy, this time for allegedly overstepping their powers by allowing investors to violate govt regulations openly. Startling revelations have come to light as to how the competency of the BOI has lessened over the years as they have opted not to follow the necessary rules before signing agreements with the investors. more..

Nov 5 (ENS) World Tamil Forum leader P Nedumaran on Monday said the CHOGM should not be held in Sri Lanka as it will give an opportunity to the island president Mahinda Rajapaksa to become the head of the organisation and effectively block any enquiry against him for the war crimes committed on Lankan Tamils. Nedumaran said holding CHOGM in Lanka will enable Lankan President Rajapakse to chair that meeting. more..

Nov 5 (ST) A court official in Puttalam called over at a State bank on Oct 24, to deposit the day�s collection of fines. Counting the money, the bank assistant detected a forged 2,000-rupee note. The police were called in and a statement from the court officer was recorded. On Tuesday, a shoe-shop owner paid in cash for a take-away parcel at a Chinese restaurant in Horana. The cashier, suspecting that the 2,000-rupee note more..

Nov 5 (FT) The UNP leadership overhaul hit an early snag when UNP Hambantota District MP Sajith Premadasa refused to accept a seat on the Council. Premadasa said he was withdrawing his name from the list of Council members out of respect for the Buddhist monks who had proposed the reforms to the party leadership. �Karu Jayasuriya and I expressed full support with the monks� eight-point proposal,� he said. more..

Nov 5 (PT) A division bench of the Lahore High Court on Monday dismissed as withdrawn a bail petition of Malik Ishaq of Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat facing abetment charges in the Sri Lankan cricket team attack case. The bench directed counsel for the accused to approach the trial court for bail. The bench also issued directions to the trial court to decide the matter within 10 days. Earlier, the counsel for the accused withdrew more..

Nov 5 (NS) The CHOGM scheduled to be commenced next week has raised enough and more attention locally and internationally. Colombo is getting an image makeover once again and at a brisk pace at that. Several main roads in Colombo, including parts of Galle Road, roads surrounding the Town Hall, Baseline road and several others are being renovated in view of CHOGM. While Colombo is on its way to becoming one of the beautiful more..

Nov 5 (SLN) Sri Lanka Navy�s Offshore Patrol Vessel, SLNS Sagara participates in the joint maritime fleet exercise, �SLINEX 2013�, conducted in the seas off Goa in India from 4th to 8th Nov. The joint exercise is aimed at enhancing interoperability and exchanging professional knowledge. It provides the opportunity for both navies to rehearse the concept of joint naval operations and enhance own skills. more..

Nov 5 (LBO) Sri Lanka's fruit and vegetable exports have been led by banana and cassava in recent years, which are grown commercially in large extents of land, which is vital to grow the industry, an official said. Sri Lanka's Fruit and Vegetable Producers Processors and Exporters Association is expecting to boost exports of 88 million US dollars by 2015 from 32 million US dollars in 2012, vice president Indira Malwatte said. more..

Nov 5 (AAP) Amnesty International and Sri Lankans living in New Zealand are urging the govt to block Sri Lanka from chairing the Commonwealth until it properly investigates alleged war crimes. The human rights group and Tamil representatives met MPs at parliament on Tuesday to express concerns about ongoing abuses, ahead of of the CHOGM in Colombo. They handed over a 30,000-signature global petition more..

Nov 5 (Island) Jaffna Security Forces Commander Maj. Gen. Mahinda Hathurusinghe rejected allegations that the Military had bulldozed houses belonging to Tamil people in the Valikamam North, especially in the Punnalaikattuvan North area and were constructing houses for Security Forces personnel. He was responding to news reports, emanating from the Jaffna Peninsula that the Security Forces personnel were more..

Nov 5 (CT) The members of the Commonwealth, a value based organization which has democracy, civil liberties, human rights and good governance among its core values, are required to comply with those values and binding principles. When a nation hosts its summit, and more importantly, is tipped to be its leader for the next two years, a greater compliance is called for. The heads of govts and delegates from 53 Commonwealth countries will meet in Sri Lanka this month. more..

Nov 5 (CT) This piece is not about monks prancing with casino moguls; but that story, which painted Colombored last week, gives me my point of departure which is that things no longer are what they seem to be. Hopkins would grumble that all things have lost �their gear and tackle and trim�. It was reported that some venerable monks, all bearers of great esteem, conducted a news conference to lambaste the govt�s stratagem of making Colombo Fort a casino den. more..

Nov 5 (Hindu) As pressure mounted from within the Union Council of Ministers seeking that PM Manmohan Singh skip the CHOGM in Colombo later this month, the External Affairs Ministry recommended that he should go. In view of India�s �paramount security and strategic interests� in and around Sri Lanka, a senior MEA official said, India�s national interests dictate that the PM should represent the country at CHOGM, more..

Nov 5 (PTI) Two fishermen drowned and three others were injured when their boat capsized while being chased allegedly by Sri Lankan naval vessels off this coastal town. Thirty others were arrested for reportedly crossing the International Martime Boundary Line, officials said. The injured fishermen told fisheries department officials on their return that some of their boats were damaged after the naval personnel pelted stones at the vessels and hurled wooden logs. more..

Nov 5 (CT) The Customs officers at the BIA in Katunayake have seized 30 Kg heroin worth Rs 200 million from a suspect who was arrested in October, Customs Media Spokesperson said. He went on to say that the stock of heroin was seized from the luggage of a Liberian national who was arrested at the BIA on the 26th of October. The Liberian national had allegedly arrived in Sri Lanka with an Ugandan passport and was arrested while attempting to leave the country from the BIA. more..

Nov 5 (DM) While categorically denying Indian News media reports, the Sri Lanka Navy said that 30 Indian fishermen were arrested within the framework of existing international maritime law and handed over to the Fisheries Inspector of Jaffna. Indian Media reported that two Indian fishermen have been killed in a chase by the Sri Lankan Navy. �As a recognized force protecting the territorial waters of Sri Lanka we have more..

Nov 5 (CG) The Commonwealth Secretariat says it is �disturbed� by scenes and testimonies in the �No Fire Zone� video on Sri Lanka. Commonwealth Secretariat spokesman Richard Uku tweeted saying the controversial video show the ugliness of war. He said that learing lessons and reconciliation are key for Sri Lanka to go forward. �According to international standards, truth, accountability and reconciliation all go together,� he added. Commonwealth Secretary General more..

Nov 5 (Island) The Supreme Court yesterday directed the Commissioner of Elections and the Kandy District Returning Officer to submit for perusal of the Court all documents pertaining to the preferential votes polled by all UNP candidates at the Sept. 21 Provincial Council polls. Twelve defeated UNP candidates have complained to the Court that the results, published by the Elections Commissioner, on the notice board, differed from the declared results. more..

Nov 5 (DM) In a shocking revelation, the disciplinary committee of SLC has reported to the SLC Ex-Co that disgraced top cricket official A.R.M. Aroos who had held various high positions including the chairman of umpires committee within the SLC for more than 14 years under five different chairmen, despite all his experience in the game�s administration had claimed �spot fixing� and �match fixing� are not offences. more..

Nov 5 (CG) The EPDP today rejected allegations that it was responsible for several murders and violent acts targeting Tamil politicians. EPD leader Douglas Devananda, speaking in parliament today, said that the allegations are part of an agenda carried out by his political opponents. He also said that the EPDP had nothing to do with some of the incidents reported in the North during the NPC Elections. �Assassinate me if you wish but don�t assassinate my character,� more..

Nov 5 (Island) In a bid to accept and speedily resolve complaints of private bus commuters, the Private Transport Ministry has decided to introduce the Skype facility. Private Transport Minister C. B. Ratnayaka said that in order to resolve the many complaints against private buses, the Ministry would introduce SKYPE facility which was quick. The new system would be implemented with the help of all provincial councils and Road Passenger Transport Authorities in the country. more..

Nov 5 (CI) Sri Lanka's sports ministry will ask Sri Lanka Cricket to set aside 10% of its revenue for cricket development from the start of 2014. The measure aims to ensure appropriate attention is given to growing the game at the grassroots, as the board attempts to lift itself out of heavy debt. "We know that in Colombo and in many big schools, cricket is well resourced," ministry spokesperson Harsha Abeykoon said. more..

Nov 5 (CT) Recent studies by Sri Lankan economists show that the country�s high level of debt is detrimental to sustainable economic growth. Two research papers submitted at the recently concluded annual sessions of the Sri Lanka Economic Association showed that a public debt ratio of 79.14% of GDP (for 2012) has a negative impact on economic growth. A study conducted by Prof. Anoma Abhayaratne and Ashani Bandaranayake of the University of more..

Nov 5 (SM) Sri Lanka Customs has fined Rs 33,800,000 for five people who have imported two containers of Ethanol evading custom duties, which was a controversial issue in the country. Muttiah Sasidharan, Jayalath Peiris, R.D Samarakkodi (the owner of the company which imported Ethanol), Tarun Sameera Silva (Company Secretary) , Ramesh Kumarpulle has been thus fined. First and second suspects have been fined Rs. 15,000,000 while the rest of the suspects were fined more..

Nov 5 (DM) Daily Mirror spoke to Navy Commander Vice Admiral Jayanath Colombage on a wide range of issues including those pertaining to Indian fishermen and illegal immigrants. He also spoke of the plans he had for the Navy, and his intentions to upgrade firepower and acquire vessels to meet future threats and tasks. Q: What is the role of the Navy in post conflict Sri Lanka? A: Sri Lanka is an island and we has a coastal line more..

Nov 5 (Independent) Next week Sri Lanka will host CHOGM, apparently the first Asian country to host it in 24 years. According to its charter, the Commonwealth is committed to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other relevant human rights covenants and international instruments. The host state, however, has abysmal records on human rights: military backed rape and killing, and the continued forced-disappearance of its own citizens even after the violent more..

Nov 5 (Island) The E-10 visa category for Korean jobs had not been introduced to Sri Lankans yet and therefore all Korean jobs would continue to be offered under the E-09 visa category, Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare Minister Dilan Perera said. He said that discussions were being conducted, at an initial level, to introduce the new E-10 visa category for the fisheries and construction sector besides other Sri Lankans seeking job opportunities in South Korea. more..

Nov 5 (AD) UNP MP Karu Jayasuriya today said that everyone has clearly understood after yesterday that the UNP is a democratic party. The main reason being that a person who had challenged the leadership of the UNP was appointed as the chairman of the leadership council, he said. Wanting to clarify on any misconceptions, the newly appointed Chairman of the UNP�s leadership council emphasized more..