Dec 10 (GDI) The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Award for International Access to Learning was won by Sri Lanka for the Nenasala Project. Access to Learning Award consists of a cash award of US$1 million and completed software valued at US$ 2.3 million was handed over to President Rajapaksa on Tuesday. Sri Lanka won the first place for the Rural Information Technological Project which attracted 150 projects more..

Dec 10 (Island) Additional Commissioner of Elections, R.M.A.L. Ratnayake admitted that the Election Secretariat couldn�t prevent registered political parties from fielding candidates at a presidential election though obviously majority of them were proxies of powerful contestants. Ratnayake said: "Perhaps there are four or five serious candidates beside the two leading candidates. But, we have no option but to more..

Dec 10 (Reuters) Sri Lankan stocks rose to a one-week high, led by blue-chips such as John Keells, though investors remained cautious ahead of the presidential poll next month. The main stock index rose 0.5%, or 36.34 points, to close at 7,254.28, its highest close since Dec 3. Foreign investors were net sellers for the second straight session on Wednesday, offloading shares worth a net 166.7 million rupees. But they have net bought 21.65 billion rupees worth of stock this year, more..

Dec 10 (Island) One-time commander of the Sri Lankan Army, Gen. Srilal Weerasooriya has returned home from South Africa, where pro-LTTE groups campaigned against him being at the Association of Military Christian Fellowships: Global Interaction 2014. The event was held at the naval base, Simonstown. Weerasooriya, formerly of the Artillery regiment was accompanied by his wife, Dilhani and Dilshan Wickremaratne, the brother of UNP MP Eran Wickremaratne. more..

Dec 10 (DM) Deputy Minister V Muralitharan alias Karuna Amman spoke to Dailymirror on the coming Presidential Election, his opinion on the constitutional changes and the reformation of the LTTE. Q: What is your opinion on the promises made by Maithripala Sirisena on the abolishment of the executive presidency, the establishment of independent commissions and the change in electoral systems? A: This is not possible. more..

Dec 10 (CT) Former Minister Navin Dissanayake speaking at the inaugural presidential election campaigning rally of the common Opposition movement said Minister Basil Rajapaksa used to be a staunch UNP supporter, even though he has conveniently forgotten that past today. Addressing the gathering at the rally in Kandy, Dissanayake said, �Basil Rajapaksa was my father�s PRO in the Mahaweli project. Until my father employed him, he did not even have Rs. 10,000. more..

Dec 10 (MoD) The Sri Lanka Army has bought a land belonging to Kotagala Plantations in Ingiriya with a view to establish a camp. Clarifying the Raigama Estate land issue, Army Media Spokesperson Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasooriya said that the land was bought in keeping with govt financial regulation with annual funds allocated to the army. He stressed that the land was not taken over as alleged by certain groups but bought by the army to establish a camp. more..

Dec 10 (AM) Common opposition candidate Maithripala Sirisena, in his first meeting with newspaper editors and media heads, said former President Chandrika Kumaratunga would get a �deserving position� in the SLFP following his ascension to power. Sirisena made this remark when an Editor asked him about the role the former President would play in his govt, if he came to power. �She is an Advisor of the SLFP but more..

Dec 10 (DM) Wisden, the unique brand of cricket publication made its entry into Sri Lanka today with the aim of providing quality cricket reading to the cricket fans in the island. The world's leading cricket publication, which publishes the renowned Wisden Almanack, launched the Sri Lankan edition today in collaboration with Wijeya Newspapers Limited, the country's industry leader and FW Sports and Media as partner. Apart from the flagship English site, Wisden Sri Lanka will feature more..

Dec 10 (AM) JHU MP and stalwart of the common opposition Athuraliye Rathana Thera has vehemently opposed any move to facilitate Public Relations Minister Mervyn's Silva's crossover, highly placed political sources told Asian Mirror. Rathana Thera has informed several other leaders of the common opposition - including the leadership of the UNP - that Mervyn Silva's crossover might boomerang on the common opposition and its political agenda in more ways than one. more..

Dec 10 (CG) Common opposition candidate Maithripala Sirisena says his election manifesto will not include proposals for a political solution for the Tamils. His main focus is the 100 day plan which will look at abolishing the Executive Presidency & making urgent constitutional changes. Once his 100 day plan is implemented a Parliament election will be held and the new govt will then need to look at the Tamil issue. more..

Dec 10 (CG) The UNP today denied allegations raised by former party General Secretary Tissa Attanayake with regards to the agreement signed between the UNP and common opposition candidate Maithripala Sirisena. Newly appointed UNP General Secretary Kabir Hashim said that there is no truth to the claims by Attanayake of a secret deal between the UNP and Sirisena. He insisted that everything is being done in a transparent manner and that the opposition had nothing to hide. more..

Dec 10 (AM) Questions have arisen whether Common Candidate Maithripala Sirisena wore a Narendra Modi style suit yesterday to hide the bullet proof vest which he was wearing. This was the first time, the Common Candidate appeared in public wearing a national suit and a waistcoat, resembling the dress of the Indian Prime Minister who rose to power early this year. A Parliamentarian of the opposition who has close relations with Maithripala Sirisena said, the common candidate is more..

Dec 10 (CT) I never expected that a day will come when I have to write a letter of resignation from the post of General Secretary of the United National Party. But the unexpected has happened not by choice but due to machinations employed against me by a set of conspirators who are all out to harm the party. I earned a lot of goodwill from genuine UNP supporters when after doing much hard work towards reconciliation. more..

Dec 10 (LBO) Securities and Exchange Commission�s chief said that, stock market is an alternative financial tool to raise capital for business activities and therefore Northern Province should take advantage of it and derive the benefits of capital market investments. Chairman of the SEC, Nalaka Godahewa, was quoted saying that at a investor forum held in Jaffna organized by SEC in collaboration with the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) to educate the general public more..

Dec 10 (AM) While sending letters of demands to three Municipal Council Mayors including Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia Mayor Danasiri Amarathunge, Kaduwela Mayor G. H. Buddadasa and Sri J'pura Kotte Mayor Janaka Ranawaka, the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) warned them that legal action would be taken against them unless they fail to take immediate steps to remove the large number of illegal propaganda hoardings of President Rajapakse within their municipalities. more..

Dec 10 (AM) The SLMC, the largest Muslim party representing the country�s legislature, is now stuck in the middle of three different options where the party�s stance on the upcoming presidential election is concerned. The meeting for the SLMC High Command, which was convened yesterday with the aim of making a final decision on the matter, dragged till about 1 am today without any concrete agreement. more..

Dec 10 (PTI) NDA ally PMK said Sri Lanka was treating India 'badly' on the issue of arrest of Indian fishermen and called for strong steps to rein in Colombo. Party founder S Ramadoss said the latest incident of arrest had happened on Tuesday, on a day when Lankan President Rajapaksa was in India for a personal visit even as Parliament was discussing the fishermen issue with the govt responding to it. "These are examples of how badly SL treats India on the fishermen issue," more..

Dec 10 (DM) The woman -- who pleaded guilty to the charge of having provided accommodation to a female LTTE suicide cadre who blasted an explosive-laden jacket at the vehicle escorting former minister Maithripala Sirisena -- was sentenced to six years rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs.50,000 on October 9, 2008. The case was heard by High Court Judge Padmini Ranawaka. The accused Rattibatuge Ariyawathi (61) of Wellawatte was indicted in the Colombo High Court by more..

Dec 10 (CG) United Nations (UN) says the international community, especially Sri Lanka�s neighbours, had failed to address the plight of the Tamils during the war. UN Secretary-General�s Special Adviser on Prevention of Genocide Adama Dieng said that the failure to act resulted in thousands being eventually killed under the very eyes of the internationally community. He noted that UN Secretary General Ban ki-moon later showed more..

Dec 10 (Island) IGP N. K. Ilangakoon has issued a directive that Senior DIGs in charge of provinces take responsibility for killings and major incidents, in their respective areas in the run-up to Jan. 8, 2015 poll. The IGP had issued written instructions to the effect that anyone carrying weapons illegally should be arrested regardless of his status. Sources said that Police had also received instructions to search for firearms in vehicles used by those campaigning for various political parties. more..

Dec 10 (SM) Several sportsmen and women have been hit with a visa embargo after sports minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage blacklisted 18 sports organisations that are supposed to take care of them. The reason for blacklisting the sports bodies under investigation is that they have not appointed selection committees. The Sports Ministry also claims that these sports bodies have not had any transparency in their dealings. The rogue administrations blacklisted control rugby, more..

Dec 10 (CT) TNA Batticaloa District MP, Pon Selvaraja, requested the politicians in the south to stop labelling Tamils as 'Tigers' before begging for their votes in the forthcoming Presidential Polls. "First of all the TNA would take its decision after going through the manifestos of the Govt and the common Opposition candidate. "TNA is now in the process of listening to views of the Tamil voters in the N&E on the Presidential Election. more..

Dec 10 (DN) The New City Apartments residential project by Quest Ventures was launched in Hambantota yesterday by Dr. Mahathir Mohamed, the former PM of Malaysia. The residential project will include a shopping centre, gym facility, swimming pool and 24 hour security surveillance. The project is scheduled for completion in 36 months and is valued at US$ 36 million. Quest Ventures is a subsidiary of the Maju Group, a leading Malaysian conglomerate which more..

Dec 10 (SM) Opposition Leader of the Uva Provincial Council and former UNP Parliamentarian Harin Fernando said President Mahinda Rajapaksa lost two Hindu deputy ministers of his government following his trip to Thirupathy with former UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake. �In addition,� he said, �four Provincial Councilors and 34 Pradeshiya Sabha members have also left the ruling party and extended their support to Common Candidate Maithripala Sirisena.� more..

Dec 10 (CI) England will need to overcome a trial by spin if they are to sustain their hopes of winning the ODI series against Sri Lanka after Kumar Sangakkara led the hosts to 239 with a measured innings of 91. Currently 3-1 down in the seven-match series, England will have a modest-looking target to chase when the match resumes on the reserve day. With rain intervening just as the Sri Lanka innings ended, play was abandoned more..

Dec 10 (AM) UNP LC Chairman Karu Jayasuriya, while scoffing at what he termed as 'ridiculous' media reports, said he did never intended to be the PM under Maithripala Sirisena�s rule, and UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe was the most suitable person in the country to take up the post after the Common Candidate's ascension to power. He was referring to a story that was carried in a Sinhala daily, claiming there was a conspiracy in the party to appoint Karu Jayasuriya as Prime Minister more..

Dec 10 (CT) The Elections Commissioner has offered six election monitoring bodies the opportunity to place observers at 300 counting centres for the coming Presidential Election. There are 1,200 counting centres for the coming Presidential Election and the Commissioner has not outlined how the 300 counting centres will be determined. However, election monitors are yet to decide whether to accept the offer, because of the lack of clarity in the process involved. more..

Dec 10 (AM) Two deputy ministers of the ruling party, namely P. Digambaram and P. Radhakrishnan, will officially extend their support to Common Candidate of the opposition, Maithripala Sirisena this evening, highly placed political sources told Asian Mirror. Digambaram, who was the Deputy Minister of National Languages and Social Integration, resigned from his position this morning to support the Common Candidate. more..

Dec 11 (SL) The political campaign for the presidential elections will begin in earnest after nominations are handed over on December 8. Not all issues will be canvassed during the campaign as some of them will felt to be too politically controversial. There is however two issues in particular that need some agreement within the contesting political groupings, at least at the level of principle, prior to the establishment of a new govt. After the election there are bound to more..

Dec 11 (CT) I also suggested, as happened in Pakistan, the establishment of ordinary schools by the military, or taking over the management of existing schools in areas where the military had a presence. This had been essential in Pakistan, where the public education system had been inadequate in rural areas where there were military cantonments. Army had therefore begun schools to cater to the children of military personnel, and these were then opened to the public too for a fee. more..

Dec 11 (SO) The Batticaloa district that has now turned out to be a much developed region virtually in all aspects of development on a par with many Southern regions, thanks to the multifarious development projects implemented under the Mahinda Chintana concept since 2009, also saw, in the recent months, the implementation of several special development-oriented programs inaugurated by ministers & deputy ministers more..

Dec 11 (CT) I am amused to observe Dayan Jayatilleka (DJ) jumping up like Jack in the box upon getting the news that the UNP General Secretary, Attanayake, had crossed over to the govt side. DJ cries: �the balance is restored.� There are two major flaws in DJ�s �political analysis.� Firstly, it is rendered false by actual statistics. Secondly, DJ�s �analysis� place an exaggerated value on cross-overs in affecting public perception. Cross-overs are now becoming such an unbelievable thing more..

Dec 11 (Island) It is crossover time in Sri Lanka. A lot of dosh is said to have changed hands, but our politicians insist that they are all honourable men and women. These are also times when political leaders are said to be moving sideways along corridors for fear of treacherous elements lurking behind pillars, poniards poised. Those who are really faithful to leaders are hard to come by these days and such diehard supporters are like frescoes which never turn their back on you as a popular more..

Dec 11 (CT) Deputy Minister Siripala Gamlath says that Common Candidate Maithripala Sirisena dragged him to politics and says that he knows Sirisena from tender age. Q: Describe briefly how you entered politics? A: I did not expect to engage in politics. I am a self-made businessman. Q: Who pushed you to politics? A: In 2001, Minister Maithripala Sirisena dragged me to politics. Q: How long have you known him? more..

Dec 11 (CT) Temple Trees turned into a 'goldmine' recently when President Rajapaksa handed over the gold jewellery recovered from the possession of the LTTE to the rightful owners. In the late 80s, the LTTE started its campaign to collect one gold sovereign from each family in the Northern Province, to enhance its monetary strength. One of the bigwigs of the LTTE's political wing, Yogaratnam Yogi, even conducted meetings in schools in Jaffna and said the lives of the LTTE cadres who more..

Dec 11 (CT) Alist of names of likely defectors who were to follow Maithripala Sirisena to the Opposition when the latter made his exit from the government has now been publicized through the social media. Though some made their exit others did not. Among those names was Minister Gunaratne Weerakoon. Now, the minister claims that the United States Ambassador in Colombo Michele J. Sison promised to offer him a bribe if he was to cross over to the Opposition. more..

Dec 11 (CT) A.H.M. Azwer, a firebrand personality in Parliament for the last 25 years recently retired to make way for Amir Ali of the ACMC. As the govt tries to balance the 'Muslim factor' before the upcoming elections, the former MP and present senior advisor to the President on Parliamentary Affairs, said it was time for the Muslims to make the wise decision to back President Rajapaksa at forthcoming election, more..

Dec 11 (FT) In my last article, �Democratic Values vs. Sri Lankan Values,� I mentioned that justice was a democratic value as indicated in the Declaration of Independence of US in 1776 and in the preamble of the Constitution of United States. I also said, �Justice is hardly available in Sri Lanka, not even in the Supreme Court.� Justice is not solely a western value or an alien concept in the East. The best example we can give is Elara, who ruled in Anuradhapura from 204 BC to 164 BC. more..

Dec 11 (FT) The Pathfinder Foundation has indeed done something commendable. Before commenting further, I have to disclose an interest, that I had the privilege of being associated with the institution many years ago at its formative stage. With that confession behind me, I must state that the Policy Agenda the Pathfinder Foundation has placed before the public and political parties through the pages of the Daily FT on 28 Nov is indeed a welcome step towards forcing & challenging more..