Feb 5 (Island) Govt should stop �military training� for prospective university students without destroying any more lives or face a countrywide protest would be launched by students, trade unions, civil organisations, political parties and other stakeholders, IUSF said. IUSF Convener Sanjeewa Bandara said that Higher Education Ministry was still silent on the death of a student at the Gannoruwa Army camp during more..

Feb 5 (GT) Sri Lanka marked its 66th Independence Day on Tuesday. The glitter and gaiety of the celebration apart, what was striking was the peace that the country has regained in the past five years, after one of the world�s bloodiest insurgencies ended with the elimination of the LTTE in 2009. Tuesday�s celebrations had that air of a newborn national unity that is a product of peace. The main events were held in Kegalle, an economically strong town some 80 kilometres from Colombo on more..

Feb 5 (DN) The housing problems of families in Colombo will be solved in the near future. The problem will not be passed on to another minister, Minister Wimal Weerawansa said. He made this observation participating at a mobile service at Pradeepa Hall, Gunasinghepura on Monday to solve housing problems of 1,800 families living in rented houses. He said a large number of families live in rented houses while they have to face problems like paying the rent among other things. more..

Feb 5 (Island) JVP is scheduled to hand over nominations for the forthcoming PC elections today and tomorrow. After signing nomination papers at the party headquarters at Pelawatta, JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva said that they would field candidates in all six districts of the two provinces and they included doctors, lawyers, teachers, govt servants and other professionals instead of actresses fielded by other parties. more..

Feb 5 (DM) The resolution that was adopted in the Northern Provincial Council calling for an international investigation into the alleged violations of human rights and international humanitarian law during the last lap of the war has triggered a debate in the South over its legality. But what matters most is not the legality of it, but the shadow it has already cast over the much needed and much talked about reconciliation among the various communities in the country. more..

Feb 5 (DM) This year we are commemorating the sixty sixth anniversary after gaining independence. Hence, it is high time for us to contemplate as to whether we have made good use of the independence which our forefathers won after much struggle. Our forefathers had wrested the Independence. It was not a gift or a donation. A gift or a donation is something which is offered to someone who needs it by someone who possesses it. It is to be given willingly. more..

Feb 5 (SL) Tamils want immediate solutions. The Govt has failed to provide these solutions. A resolution at the NPC was the best way to have the voice of the Tamils heard; that seems to have been the sentiments expressed by the NPC, when it passed not one, but three resolutions last week. Key among the three was the one calling for an international investigation into the alleged deaths of over 100,000 Tamils during the final stages more..

Feb 5 (CG) Kala Pola, Colombo�s annual open-air art fair celebrated its 21st anniversary in an explosion of colour and camaraderie in a marathon 14 hour extravaganza on Sunday 26 Jan. Gracing the official ceremony as Chief Guest was Jong-moon Choi, the South Korean Ambassador to Sri Lanka. Also present were Director of SAARC Cultural Centre G.L.W. Samarasinghe, Deputy Chairman of John Keells Holdings more..

Feb 5 (Island) Intertek is the leading quality solutions provider to industries worldwide. From auditing and inspection, to testing, training, advisory, quality assurance and certification, Intertek adds value to customers' products, processes and assets. With a network of more than 1,000 laboratories and offices and over 36,000 people in more than 100 countries, Intertek supports companies' success in a global marketplace. more..

Feb 5 (LBO) So it was a known construction worker cum odd job man who killed senior Lankan journalist Mel Gunasekera. The man, hunted down within the same day Mel was stabbed to death in her suburban home, was apparently familiar with the place and the family�s routine. When she recognised him, burglar had instantly turned killer. Case closed? Prima facie, it seems so. But in a land where so many more..

Feb 5 (ST) The emission tests conducted on vehicles � a pre-requisite for a revenue licence � is supposed to be a measure to improve air quality, but the exercise could prove futile as the Motor Traffic Dept (MTD) found out recently. A careful study of the emission test data recorded with the MTD revealed that the results from a particular centre in Pugoda, in the Gampaha district, were identical. more..

Feb 5 (Island) The CEB has spent more than double the budgeted amount on thermal power last month. Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) has recommended five billion rupees per month, but the CEB has spent 11 billion rupees. CEB Additional General Manager M.C. Wickramasekara however said that the Independent Power Producers (IPPs) would not gain additionally due to the breakdowns and they would prefer more..

Feb 5 (DM) Bloomberg�s regular economic forecast on Sri Lanka showed a sense of relative optimism for 2014 on many indicators, though they remained below the Central Bank�s overly ambitious estimates for the ensuing years. �When asked, �What is the percentage chance of a recession happening over the next 12months?� the median estimate of 3 economists who responded, put the odds at 2%,� the international news wire service said. more..

Feb 5 (CG) US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, Nisha Biswal met Ambassadors and High Commissioners based in Geneva and discussed the Sri Lankan human rights issue. Biswal said that she had a good day of consultations in Geneva yesterday on Sri Lanka, a day after she had similar discussions in Britain. In Britain Biswal had talks on the proposed resolution on SL to be submitted at the UNHRC more..

Feb 5 (Island) Students who passed the GEC A/L exam in 2012 had already wasted additional six months due to lapses on the part of the Higher Education Ministry and UGC responsible for 2011 Z-score fiasco, teachers and undergraduate associations said. They were to be admitted to universities in Oct 2013. General Secretary of CTSU Mahinda Jayasinghe said that the UGC had not yet completed the process of more..

Feb 5 (WAT) Australian govt is refusing to back an independent international investigation into alleged war crimes during the Sri Lankan civil war as the govt of the island nation rejected a new report detailing "credible" claims of civilian bombings, extrajudicial killings and other abuses. UNHRC is due to consider a new resolution on allegations next month. UK and Canada have already called for an international inquiry, more..

Feb 5 (IANS) The Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF) has announced that their men's cricket team will embark on a tour of Sri Lanka. The tour is part of their preparation for the World Cup Division 5 League, NCF president Emeka Onyeama said here Tuesday. He said the tour, scheduled from Feb 21 to March 3, would be bankrolled by the Sri Lanka high commission. The team would depart Colombo March 3 for the Division 5 League tournament in Malaysia, scheduled for March 4-14. more..

Feb 5 (CT) At the very outset, please Let me extend my sincere gratitude to Shyamon Jayasinghe for his article �Kirimandala� -Our Female Stars In The Gold Rush (Colombo Telegraph) for giving me an absolute gem of a title for this piece- Moona Kachal -(Problematic face or not very good looking face). Moona kachal is a milder way of saying ugly, in other words Moona kachal allows the teller to be mildly critical without being too harsh. This clich� seems to have been currently used, more..

Feb 5 (CT) The family and friends of Mel Gunasekara bade farewell to their daughter, colleague and true friend, as she was laid to rest at the General Cemetery, Borella, last evening. Mel, a gifted financial journalist, was found murdered at her residence in Battaramulla on Sunday. Hers was a promising young life, full of energy that was snatched away at its very prime. The eulogies and melancholy prose that were pouring in newspapers and social media, were a tribute to her life. more..

Feb 5 (Reuters) Sri Lankan rupee edged higher on Wednesday due to light exporter dollar sales in the absence of importer dollar demand, but dealers expect the local currency to depreciate on lower interest rates that could drive credit growth and imports. The spot rupee was at 130.60/70 per dollar at 0548 GMT, firmer from Monday's close of 130.64/67. Both stock and currency markets were closed on Tuesday to mark the country's independence day. more..

Feb 5 (DM) The Brazilian Army has offered training slots to Sri Lankan armed forces at Brazilian National War College, High Studies Schools of the Brazilian Armed Forces, Brazilian Peacekeeping Operations Centre and the Jungle Warfare Instruction Centre. The army headquarters said that the Sri Lanka Army is to reciprocate with offers of training to officers of the Brazilian Army in different Army training centers. more..

Feb 5 (PTI) Sri Lankan fishermen today allegedly threatened their counterparts from Pamban area here who were fishing in an area close to the island nation and took away 10 nets worth Rs 20 lakh. Fisheries department officials said Sri Lankan fishermen offered to return the nets provided mechanised boat fishermen stopped using banned nets as it badly affected marine wealth in their fishing zone and their livelihood. The Sri Lankan fishermen accused Indian fisheries more..

Feb 5 (KUNA) The fourth day of a Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED)-sponsored trip to Sri Lanka for distinguished Kuwaiti students has taken them to Kandy, a major city located in the Central Province of the country. Kandy is the second largest city after Colombo, and was the last capital of the ancient kings' era of Sri Lanka. The students visited a KFAED-funded project, which is a bridge built over Mahaweli river, the largest river in Sri Lanka. more..

Feb 5 (LT) �The govt should have the responsibility of making every child healthy. We would accept that responsibility. Our country should be industrialized. This country has been destructed for 66 years. The world goes forward in technology and knowledge. Our country is wearily limping behind it. After the second world war technology in the world has developed in leaps and bounds. At present we are unable to reach that technology. more..

Feb 5 (Island) Lanka Phosphate Ltd (LPL) seeks to obtain Sri Lanka Standard (SLS) certification before end of March to compete with the multinational fertiliser companies and increase its sales, according to its chairman Jaliya Kulasekara. He said that the factory was now being upgraded and modernised to seek SLS and ISO certification and their goal was to break the fertiliser monopoly in the country. "Without SLS we can�t compete with international companies," he said. more..

Feb 5 (Island) A student of Richmond College, Galle, critically injured in a fall from a tree a few days ago, succumbed to his injuries on Monday night at the Intensive Care Unit of the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital. Police said Predeep Kavinda Madanayake, a Grade 11 student, had tried to fell an arecanut tree to put up a structure at their inter-house sports meet scheduled to be held the following day, Chief Inspector of the Galle police station, Udaya Kumara said. more..

Feb 5 (DM) External Affairs Ministry denied reports that it had refused a visa to top US official Catherine Russell. Ministry said such reports were a fabrication and incorrect. �What has been reported is totally erroneous. SL has not denied a visa to Ms. Russell as there was no reason for such a refusal. Her visit had to be rescheduled because if otherwise she would have been unable to meet some of those whom she planned to meet. more..

Feb 5 (ST) An election monitoring group has called the Police chief to prevent any election related processions soon after the closure of nominations for the provincial council elections in the western and southern provinces. The CaFFE has informed the Inspector General of Police that there will be rallies organized by the UPFA and the UNP covering the electoral districts on Western and Southern province tomorrow marking the last day of handing over nominations. more..

Feb 5 (MoD) A report published in an international journal argues that the United Nation's Sri Lanka strategy is flawed and Sri Lanka should petition the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for an Advisory Opinion on the legality of the UN's report on Sri Lanka which was the basis for the two resolutions against the country. In a research paper published in the Foreign Policy Journal, author Dharshan Weerasekera says that one of the principal remedies now open to more..

Feb 5 (DM) UN Assistant Secretary-General, Chair, United Nations Development Group Asia-Pacific and UNDP Assistant Administrator & Director, Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific Haoliang Xu, will be visiting Sri Lanka from Feb 9-12. During the visit, Mr. Xu is expected to meet and exchange views with high-level Govt officials, development partners and the civil society. He will gain a perspective of the progress more..

Feb 5 (CT) On the occasion of celebrating the Chinese Lunar New Year and Sri Lankan Independence Day, The Chinese Embassy of Sri Lanka hosted an awards ceremony at the newly refurbished BMICH recently commending and recognizing the excellent Sri Lankan partners, projects and staff. The Sri Lanka-China Business Council of The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce which has a membership of 130, was awarded 3rd Place in the Top 10 Sri Lankan Partner Category. more..

Feb 5 (Island) A man hanged himself close to the site where a 24-year-old mother was chopped to death at the YSK village at Timbirigolla, Ampara, recently. He was identified as Anura Silva. He had been released on bail after being remanded for the murder of his wife, the police said. Silva, a suspect in the killing of his wife had befriended the woman�s husband and had been staying at their house after being bailed out. Reason for the murder of the woman is still a mystery, more..

Feb 5 (PTI) TN Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa has urged the PM to summon the Sri Lankan High Commissioner to lodge a strong protest over the arrest of Indian fishermen and take action to secure release of 87 fishermen apprehended in the last one week. �I exhort you to take immediate action to ensure that all the 19 fishing boats and 87 fishermen who were apprehended by SL Navy in the more..

Feb 5 (DM) Sri Lankan Govt has decided not to sue Channel-4 for its telecast of videos on Sri Lanka as it had adopted more effective strategies to deal with such situations, Minister G.L. Peiris told Parliament today. He said the Govt had effectively countered such allegations. He said a video titled, �Lies agreed upon� was screened while the govt was having a discussion with Callum McRae, who was instrumental in preparing the Channel-4 documentary on the war in Sri Lanka. more..

Feb 5 (LBO) Stocks close down Wednesday with banking and diversified stocks losing ground. All Share Price Index closed 43.71 points lower at 6,175.63, down 0.70%. The S&P SL20 closed 48.40 points lower at 3,382.82, down 1.41%. Turnover was 1.16 billion rupees, down from 1.33 billion rupees last Monday, with stocks of 133 firms closing in the red against 53 gainers. Commercial Bank topped the turnover contribution with 329.21 million rupees of market transactions more..

Feb 5 (CI) Inside three balls, Kumar Sangakkara leapt over his previous best score, through the 290s and into the record books as the third Sri Lanka batsman to hit a triple-century. This feat is the latest in a two-year stretch that has seen him harvest numerous statistical triumphs, having sown indefatigably for 13 years in the game. On the way to 319, he became the fastest batsman to 11,000 runs, bettering Lara's record by 5 innings. more..

Feb 5 (DM) An ugly scene occurred at the UNP parliamentary group meeting this morning following a heated argument between Party Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and UNP MP Palitha Tevarapperuma. Sources said Mr. Wickremesinghe had retorted strongly when Mr. Tevarapurma faulted him for including a certain candidate in the party�s nominations list for the provincial council elections from the Kalutara District. Mr. Teverapperuma had moved towards Mr. Wickremesinghe more..

Feb 5 (DM) Sri Lanka�s Consul General in New South Wales Bandula Jayasekara said that former Australia�s star cricketer Shane Warne wanted to invest in Sri Lanka and was expected to travel to the island soon. Addressing an event to celebrate the Sri Lankan National Day Consul General Jayasekara lauded the tremendous interest among Australians to invest in Sri Lanka, led by James Packer. In his speech, Consul General Jayasekara praised Sri Lanka and Australia for having more..

Feb 5 (DM) UNP MP and party stalwart Ravi Karunanayake has resigned from the UNP Nomination Board following a disagreement over the selecting of candidates for the forthcoming PC election, informed source said. It is learnt that Mr. Karunanayake has reportedly resigned due to some unilateral decisions taken by the party leadership and also bringing irrelevant candidates from outside Colombo to contest PC election. more..