Apr 3 (Island) Sri Lanka have taken the tough decision to drop skipper Dinesh Chandimal from today�s semi-final clash of the World T-20 against West Indies. The Sri Lankans had taken the decision after much deliberation and Lasith Malinga, who captained the must win game against New Zealand will lead the side once again and possibly in the final if Sri Lanka go through. The International Cricket Council had suspended Chandimal from the game against New Zealand on Monday more..

Apr 4 (CG) With the UNHRC having voted to open an international investigation into alleged war crimes by both the Sri Lankan govt and the LTTE in the final stages of Sri Lanka�s 26-year civil war, the International Bar Association�s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) calls for increased vigilance by the international community following an escalation in threats to human rights defenders. IBAHRI Co-Chair Helena Kennedy QC more..

Apr 3 (CI) New Zealand Women eased to six-wicket win against Sri Lanka Women in the qualification play-off in Sylhet, to book their place in the 2016 Women's World Twenty20. The teams that finish in the top six at this World T20 automatically qualify for the next edition of the tournament; the four semi-finalists - Australia, South Africa, England and West Indies - are already through, while New Zealand take the fifth spot. India and Pakistan will play for the final berth later in the day. more..

Apr 3 (FT) The Hapag-Lloyd-owned brand new 13,167 TEU ultra-large container carrier berthed at the Colombo International Container Terminal (CICT) on Monday. This vessel, which was launched from the HHI shipyard on 14 March, is on her maiden voyage on the Asia/Europe service. The vessel on completion of operations in Colombo sailed direct to Southampton in a record time of 16 days. In fact, although there was more cargo available for loading to Europe, more..

Apr 4 (Island) British Foreign Secretary William Hague requested Sri Lankan Govt to fully co-operate with the UNHRC resolution, and to work alongside the international community for the benefit of its people. Sending a written statement to the British parliament on Monday, on UNHRC resolution calling for an international investigation into Sri Lanka, Hague said that the passing of the resolution had sent an important and more..

Apr 3 (CT) The appointment of Chief Ministers to the Western and Southern Provinces would be held on Friday 4 April at the Presidential Secretariat, spokesman for the President, Mohan Samaranayake said. Sources also indicate that the two Chief Ministers from the previous PC elections are set to retain their positions. Prasanna Ranatunga, who had previously been the Chief Minister of the Western Province and threatened to leave the UPFA unless appointed in the same capacity, more..

Apr 3 (ICC) Sri Lanka coach Paul Farbrace came out in strong support of captain Dinesh Chandimal, who has managed just one half-century in a 26-match Twenty20 International career. Chandimal, who is still learning his craft at 24, knows that his T20I batting average of 13.3 is far from acceptable, irrespective of the fact that he bats lower down the order than he would perhaps like. But Farbrace backed his captain to the hilt. �Chandi is a very exciting young cricketer. more..

Apr 4 (Island) NWPC Chief Minister Dayasiri Jayasekera pointed out that the UNP members were misinterpreting the outcome of PC election in the wake of the UNP retaining five electorates in the Colombo District��Borella, Colombo North, Colombo Central, Colombo East and Colombo West. UPFA�s failure to retain the Galle electorate was made out to be a major victory for the UNP, CM Jayasekera said, more..

Apr 3 (FT) �Our priority now is to expand operations to other parts of the country. Doing so will both increase the volumes handled by Kalhari and provide more employment to people from around the country. We will also be creating greater awareness on environmental conservation and the profitability of collecting solid waste for recycling,� said recycling entrepreneur Indhra Kaushal Rajapaksa after receiving the APEA Award for the second year in succession. more..

Apr 3 (Island) �Think about it. We are slowly but surely moving into mobile transactions; the vehicle, inexorably being the mobile phone, the ATM machine, and the credit card. Don�t balk at that possibility. We are now into mobile banking, transferring money from one center to another, via the mobile instrument. What can be expected is that all transactions would be by phone transfer, a Lankan Clear official said. �Say the grocer, small timer selling vegetables from a street or more..

Apr 4 (Island) Results of last week�s PC Elections was a warning to the Rajapaksa regime that the tide had turned and it was a matter of time before the people sent it home for good, UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe said. He noted that some senior Ministers were doing their best to give various interpretations to the results, but it was quite clear that the voters had flashed the �red lights� which meant they were fed up with the repeated more..

Apr 3 (Hindu) Indian Coast Guard ship Sarang sailed into Karaikal Port with the final batch of 58 fishermen, released by Sri Lanka, following President Rajapaksa�s order last week, here on Wednesday. Arrival of the fishing crew along with their 13 boats also signalled hopes of announcement of dates for the stalled second round of bilateral talks between the fishermen of the two countries. 58 fishermen were among those arrested on Mar 4 and Mar 19 for entering into the more..

Apr 3 (CT) The Sustainable Energy Authority (SEA) said yesterday that environmentalists, who are concerned about the destruction of the environment due to the construction of power projects should make their complaints to the SEA. SEA Chairman, Prasad Galhena, said they have not received any complaints regarding the private hydropower station that is being built in Lankagama. "If there are any concerns they should come to us; we have not received any complaints," Galhena said. more..

Apr 4 (DM) The manager of the Nature Resort at Tangalle today, while being further cross examined by the Counsel for the first accused in the Khuram Shaikh murder case felt faint and the cross examination was adjourned and postponed for today. The manager Tharanga Pieris on interrogation by Counsel Jayantha Weerasinghe PC said she had made two statements to the police. The witness said she made one statement more..

Apr 3 (DM) Sri Lanka enters tonight�s crucial ICC World T20 semi final against West Indies in Dhaka with confidence after annihilating New Zealand in grand style in a virtual quarter final on Monday, but have been set back by an unprecedented selection dilemma created by the pathetic form of skipper Dinesh Chandimal. Chandimal, who is one of the brightest young prospects of Sri Lankan cricket has been going through a terrible form slump in the shortest format of the game and more..

Apr 3 (CG) The National Assembly of Belarus today ratified a mutual legal assistance treaty with Sri Lanka on criminal persecution. The agreement was signed in Minsk on 26 August 2013 and it envisages mutual assistance in preliminary investigation, criminal persecution and court proceedings. Mutual legal assistance implies assistance in getting testimony and receiving legal statements and evidence, identifying people and determining their whereabouts, etc. more..

Apr 4 (Island) EC Mahinda Deshapriya said anyone including former army commander and leader of the DP Gen. Sarath Fonseka, whose name was on the revised valid voters� registry could enjoy his or her franchise at elections, but whether he or she could contest a general or presidential election would be decided at the time of handing over nominations. Polls Chief said that he did not want to mention names of more..

Apr 3 (NS) Proposals will be submitted to bring about a spending limit for candidates regarding posters, cut-outs and advertising in the media during election campaign periods, Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya said. Addressing a media briefing held at the Elections Secretariat today, Deshapriya said it had been pointed out that candidates who had more money and resources were able to far outspend others, thereby gaining an unfair advantage during the campaign period. more..

Apr 3 (NS) Plain clothed policemen will be deployed outside financial institutions following the recent spate of incidents of armed robbery. Nine such incidents have been reported in the recent past, SSP Ajith Rohana said. The Police have arrested six suspects linked to the robbery carried out in Matugama yesterday. The arrested individuals include two robbers who have been revealed as 21 year old Duminda Herath of Hanwella and 20 Year old Sajan Perera of Boralasgamuwa, more..

Apr 4 (CI) Sri Lanka have an enviable record of success at global limited-overs tournaments. Sri Lanka have an unenviable record of failure in global limited-overs tournaments. These are not two states in binary opposition but simply a choice of perspective. As ever, Sri Lanka came into the World T20 as one of the favourites. That tag may bring pressure but even more unwanted would be another runners-up rosette to go home with. more..

Apr 3 (DM) The US-sponsored resolution on Sri Lanka calling for an international investigation into allegations of violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law in Sri Lanka was adopted last Thursday at the UNHRC sessions in Geneva. But it was totally eclipsed by Saturday�s elections to the Western and Southern Provincial Councils. The resolution was in the limelight only for a day in spite of its possible serious repercussions on the country. more..

Apr 3 (DM) Sri Lanka has one more year within which it could effectively countermand the mandate the UNHRC has given to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to undertake a comprehensive international investigation on Sri Lanka pursuance to paragraph 10(b) of the HRC resolution adopted on 27 March 2014. Paragraph 2 of the 27/3 resolution reiterates the HRC�S call on the Govt of Sri Lanka, to conduct its own independent and credible more..

Apr 3 (DM) As the place consists of Judiciary courts, three schools and two religious places, police had been more vigilant in the area in controlling the behaviour of those who frequent the area. Police had also on certain occasions arrested couples who misbehave in the area creating a nuisance to others, and even had prosecuted them. Despite the warnings on special notice boards these lovers more often seemed to have ignored more..

Apr 3 (Island) Govt of Japan will provide food grant assistance to the value of Rs. 203 million to the Govt of Sri Lanka through the World Food Programme (WFP) to support their ongoing emergency programme in Sri Lanka including the School Meals Programme, Japanese Embassy in Colombo said. Embassy release added: The distribution of the food assistance will be supervised by Ministry of Economic Development. more..

Apr 3 (SL) While Muslims in Sri Lanka have always been viewed as being rather standardized in their orthodox Sunni forms of worship, due to recent sociological or theological causes, and a rise of controversial, charismatic Sufi sheikhs in Eastern Sri Lanka, there has been unprecedented religious conflict among Sri Lankan Muslims, especially in the East, which according to law enforcement officials is a cause for concern. more..

Apr 4 (ST) Local fishermen reacted with anger and concern at the Govt�s decision to release all the Indian fishermen along with their vessels. They fear that the poaching crisis in the North will worsen with this move, as more and more foreign vessels will feel encouraged to move into the area. The Govt on Friday released all 98 fishermen along with 28 fishing crafts arrested over the past one week for illicit fishing in the country�s more..

Apr 3 (DN) Ruhunu Magampura Mahinda Rajapaksa Port has become South Asia�s largest vehicle transshipment hub in the region. The Port is now becoming a major economic center that has ensured the ushering of socio-economic prosperity from the South to the whole of Sri Lanka in the future by becoming the largest vehicle transshipment hub in the region, SLPA Chairman Dr. Priyath B. Wickrama said. more..

Apr 3 (CG) The Government is confident the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) process will be able to reach an amicable political settlement to the National issue. Senior Minister for Scientific Affairs Professor Tissa Vitarana said that the PSC will also consider the agreements reached by political parties during the discussions held within the All Party Representative Committee (APRC) Chaired by him. more..

Apr 3 (SLN) With a view of enhancing the professional knowledge of the Navy's fleet units whilst providing training exposure to the Under Trainees Officer, the four-day long Trincomalee Naval Exercise (TRINEX) was commenced on 1st April in Trincomalee. The knowledge gaining invaluable exercise would facilitate fleet units to rehearse and enhance the area of expertise in mutual engagement. more..

Apr 4 (GDI) 18th Session of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) of the Food and Agriculture Organization will be held in Colombo from 1st to 5th June 2014. The Meeting is held in Sri Lanka on the initiative of Minister Rajitha Senaratne. This is the second time Sri Lanka is hosting the event, first being in 2011. IOTC is an intergovernmental organization established under Article 14 of the FAO constitution. more..

Apr 3 (LBO) A high tech 45 billion rupee bridge will clear a traffic bottleneck to Sri Lanka's capital Colombo and minimize its impact on the river flow underneath, the Japan International Cooperation Agency said. The bridge across Sri Lanka's Kelani River will allow a smooth flow of traffic in to the city through new urban arterial road including access to an expressway to the main airport, port and other roads connecting to more..

Apr 3 (DM) The Army said it had identified the instructors, who are seen in the video footage as punishing several female army soldiers in an unacceptable manner and that disciplinary action would be taken against them. A video footage showing some Army instructors punishing several female army soldiers in an unacceptable manner was published in a website recently. �We identified those in the video more..

Apr 3 (CT) In July 2010, the General Assembly of the United Nations Organization adopted a resolution recognizing water and sanitation as a human right. Almost in sync with the resolution, the Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC), a NGO with general consultative status, released a report expressing grave concerns over increasing incidents of serious health problems resulting from unsafe drinking water in Sri Lanka, pointing to the failure of the govt to either protect or more..

Apr 3 (CT) Last week, the Rajapaksas were put on notice by the international community, the electorate and the SLFP. The UNHRC investigation will proceed, whether the Rajapaksas cooperate or not. Hopefully it will bring to light some of what the LTTE did in the name of Eelam and the Rajapaksas did in the name of anti-terrorism. The PC poll results demonstrate that the Rajapaksas are not immune to the law of diminishing marginal utility. So far elections have been held in eight more..

Apr 3 (CT) �In a luncheon discussion with Co-Chair Ambassadors and the Acting Indian High Commissioner on Nov 14 PM Tony Blair�s Special Envoy Paul Murphy exchanged views on how the Northern Ireland peace process might be relevant for the SL context. Murphy was the cabinet minister responsible for Northern Irish Affairs between 2002 and 2005, and was closely involved in Northern Ireland peace process. more..

Apr 3 (Island) There has been no delay in payment of Mahapola scholarship stipends to the university students contrary to claims to that effect in some quarters, Director of the Mahapola Scholarship Trust Fund Ranjith Thenuwara has said. Ministry of Cooperatives and Internal Trade has said, in a media statement, that usually it takes around ten months to commence the payment of Mahapola scholarship stipends to new entrants from the commencement of thier academic year. more..

Apr 3 (LBO) Shares end up 0.23% higher Thursday with banking and telco stocks gaining amid strong foreign activity. All Share Price Index closed 13.69 points higher at 6,018.47 up 0.23%. S&P SL20 closed 13.56 points higher at 3,295.50, up 0.41%. Turnover was 2.57 billion rupees, up from 1.95 billion rupees a day earlier with 93 stocks close positive against 76 negative. John Keells closed 1.30 rupees lower at 232.70 rupees with five off market transactions of 1.76 billion rupees more..

Apr 3 (DM) Three devotees who regularly visited a Devalaya in Moratuwa was ordered to be remanded till April 10 by Colombo Fort Magistrate for allegedly cheating a Devala caretaker (Kapurala) of Rs.12.5 million, promising to give him a magic lamp that gives prosperity. In his complaint to the CID, the Kapurala of the Devalaya said the main suspect, a devotee who regularly visited the Devalaya befriended him. more..

Apr 3 (Reuters) Sri Lanka rupee closed firmer on Thursday after being defended through six-straight sessions as banks sold dollars to meet customer demand and remittances ahead of the festive seasons. The spot rupee ended at 130.63/65 per dollar, up from Wednesday's close of 130.70/75. "There were not much of demand for dollars. We have seen remittances coming in and banks sold dollars due to festive (rupee) demand," said a currency dealer asking not to be named. more..

Apr 3 (Island) Some police officers of the Matugama police station (Environment Division) have become a serious threat to pavement hawkers. As the festive season is fast approaching, they have purchased trade items for sale, on loans. Police officers, who claim that they are vested with power from the UDA to evict traders from the pavement, obtain various favours from them. Those who do not oblige the police officers will have to suffer. But the Matugama PS at its meeting decided that more..