Jan 20 (CT) Your Lordship the Chief Justice and other Judges of the Supreme Court, your Lordship the Acting President of the Court of Appeal and other Judges of the Court of Appeal and other judges. As the head of the un-official Bar, i have the privilege of welcoming Your Lordship, Justice Buveneka Aluvihare,President�s Counsel as a judge of the Supreme Court. Bar wishes you well in fulfilling the onerous responsibilities that accompany high judicial office on the Apex Court. more..

Jan 20 (CT) Former LTTE Military Commander, now SLFP Vice President and Deputy Minister, V Muralitharan, alias Karuna Amman, says TNA is provoking the govt so much so, that it is anticipating another bloodbath rather than a complete peace for the Tamils. Q: Why are you quite silent these days? A: True there�s nothing about me in the news these days, but I should says I am busy and work is going on. more..

Jan 20 (CT) The Security Forces involved in Operation Riviresa (Sunrays) took control of a well-built two-storey auditorium in Nallur, Jaffna in 1995 and the media in Colombo at that time went to town with the pictures of the auditorium, which was built according to Dravidian architecture, and the bronze statues of Hindu deities found inside the auditorium, saying it was the luxurious residence of LTTE Leader, V. Prabhakaran. Following the signing of Indo-Lanka Accord and the arrival of IPKF more..

Jan 20 (CT) The JHU and PM D. M. Jayaratne exchanged heated arguments in the recent past over a heroin container which contained 131 kg of pure heroin. There are several interpretations for this battle which is still on. Hence, I should tell the JHU version of the tale. The Opposition has a very interesting interpretation of the JHU�s battle with the PM. According to them, the President is not in good terms with the PM and therefore he has assigned the JHU to force the PM to resign. more..

Jan 20 (ST) Sri Lankan-born Australians had a median individual weekly income of AU$ 686 compared with AU$ 538 for all overseas-born and AU$ 597 for all Australia-born, as well as AU$ 577 for the total Australian population, according to a 2011 Australian census. These details are contained in a recent report issued by the Community Relations Section of Australian Govt Department of Immigration and Citizenship. more..

Jan 20 (Island) According to a press report, the British Tamil Conservatives (BTC) are lobbying the British govt for travel bans and asset seizures (and what else!) of Lankans alleged to have committed war crimes and crimes against humanity. The BTC claims to be a full affiliate of the Conservatives and practically to have the British Prime Minister in its pocket. Considering the strength of the Tamil vote in the UK, (to which even the Labour Party�s then Foreign Minister, David Milliband admitted to more..

Jan 20 (ST) It is not wrong to say that the hope of every adult who enters wedlock is to witness the blossoming smile of an offspring. It is no secret that the amount of pain and anxiety that some married couples undergo when for some reason or the other they are unable to produce an offspring. This sad story is not just another miserable act of an immature mother who dumps her newborn baby in a culvert or under some garbage or even leaves the infant by the roadside but that of a more..

Jan 20 (CI) Q: As a captain and batsman, you rarely seem fazed by the match situation. Where does that come from? A: It's coming [from] within myself, I think. I don't really blow out my emotions. I just try to absorb it and I try not to be too harsh or rude to the players on the ground because after all, we all make mistakes. We must appreciate all the hard work the players do, so I keep all the emotions to myself. more..

Jan 20 (Island) Indian Congress leader Sonia Gandhi has publicly turned down a request from party supporters to anoint her son, Rahul, as the party�s prime ministerial candidate. The party has resolved to let its MPs choose the PM if it wins the next general election and that decision is final, she has declared. Sonia has earned plaudits for her decision. It is being claimed in some quarters that she has not let her love for her son get the better of her and she is to be commended for more..

Jan 20 (ST) Central Bank Governor Ajit Nivard Cabral presented the Road Map for 2014 on Jan 2 against a backdrop of scepticism about official statistics. Revelations in parliament disclosing evidence of massaging national accounts figures hurt credibility of official statistics. Nevertheless, the wide-ranging Road Map is a review of the country�s recent economic performance and expectations in 2014 and beyond. It is a useful exercise begun by Governor Cabral eight years ago as more..

Jan 20 (CI) A few days ago, in the Emirate just west of Sharjah, a group of cricket administrators unveiled a proposal that would put the Test-match future of Sri Lanka and Pakistan in serious doubt. On day four, in a series already ruled by attrition, the teams produced the least watchable cricket of the tour. The comatose third session, in which Sri Lanka progressed at 1.36 runs an over, was little more than a staring contest more..

Jan 20 (CI) Pakistan didn't go into the fourth day thinking of a win but, after their bowlers picked up late wickets, the contest remains open to the possibility of a twist on the final day of an otherwise slow Test. After losing the toss, Pakistan had seemingly accepted that forcing the win they need to draw the series was a distant possibility but their coach, Dav Whatmore, has not given up on getting a result. Trailing 1-0 in the series and having played conservatively throughout the match, more..

Jan 20 (Island) The year 2014 will witness six outstation tennis tournaments, the Sri Lanka Tennis Association (SLTA) announced last week. Said tournaments will be held in the following outstation cities: Bandarawela, Kandy, Kurunegala, Matale, Negombo and Nuwara Eliya. Out of those six tourneys, three, to be held in Negombo, Nuwara Eliya and Bandarawela, will be open ranking events. Other than the one scheduled for Nuwara Eliya, the rest will include events for Tennis 10s more..

Jan 20 (FT) Top Govt officials of the Eastern Province expressed confidence in the region�s ability to attract US$ 500 million in external inflows that would help contribute to the national Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) target set for 2014. Addressing a full house in Colombo at the first-ever international investment promotion forum for the east, �Invest in East,� Minister Naseer Ahamed said the region has the necessary capabilities to more..

Jan 20 (FT) Sri Lanka is fully committed to SAARC regional integration and the country�s liberal business policies are helping it climb the international business rankings. �Sri Lanka remains fully committed and supportive of the objectives of enhancing the program of regional economic integration within SAARC. An overall business and investor friendly environment helps us in climbing the doing business index ranks,� said Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen. more..

Jan 20 (NS) The island�s capital market regulator, Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka (SEC) on Friday dismissed concerns that its recent directives on public float may pave way for some companies who did not wish to comply to delist from the Exchange once it comes into full effect. Addressing a panel discussion at the Regulatory Compliance Symposium held at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel, SEC Officer-in-Charge and Deputy Director-General Dhammika Perera, more..

Jan 20 (Hindu) Emphasising that Indian fishermen were not attacked within the country�s territories, Coast Guard Inspector-General S.P. Sharma said the Coast Guard had ensured that Indian fishermen were not harassed or attacked in Indian waters. Addressing mediapersons on board Coast Guard Ship Sagar, he said the Palk Strait was a sensitive area and the Coast Guard had rendered all help to fishermen in distress. more..

Jan 20 (Island) Established in 2001 Japan Export Vehicle Inspection Centre Company Ltd. (JEVIC) a vehicle pre-shipment inspection specialist announces that the government of Sri Lanka has approved them to inspect vehicles prior to export from Japan and issue certification. JEVIC is represented in Sri Lanka by Premium Trading and Logistics (Pvt) Ltd., an established logistics services provider. The company is accredited to ISO/IEC 17020: 1998 IBS Standard Type A and more..

Jan 20 (Island) As envisaged in the National Development Program of Mahinda Chintana, Vision for the Future the govt of Sri Lanka in its concerted efforts of transforming the country as a maritime and Logistics Hub in the region has recognized the critical importance of reviving the Ceylon Shipping Corporation Limited (CSCL), the national shipping line of the country complementary to the creation of world class port infrastructure and conducive policy framework related to more..

Jan 20 (Island) Chairman of the South Asia Institute of Technology and Medicine (SAITM) Dr.Neville Fernando said that he would not expect a return on investment but only an operational profit to run SAITM. He intends to hand over the management of the campus to the govt in 30 years. SAITM is the first private sector �Green Campus� in Sri Lanka. He would gradually convert SAITM into a 'paperless institute' more..

Jan 20 (CT) Gayantha Karunatilleke, the only UNP MP from the Galle District, had been sidelined from yesterday's Party meeting in Galle, where the top brass had been in attendance. The meeting was attended by Party Leader, Ranil Wickremesinghe, Chairman of the Leadership Council (LC), Karu Jayasuriya and General Secretary, Tissa Attanayake. Invitations to the meeting had been sent by Galle District UNP Leader, Vajira Abeywardena, and it was indeed an act of sabotage by more..

Jan 20 (DN) The annual income of the Departments of National Botanical Gardens and National Zoological Gardens has shown a significant increase compared to 2012. Department Director General Dr. Cyril Wijesundara said, department recorded the highest annual income (Rs. 416.5 million) from botanical gardens last year. From this amount, Rs. 314.8 million had been received from foreigners� ticket charges while Rs. 73 million had been received from ticket fees of local visitors, more..

Jan 20 (FT) Sri Lanka�s proposed off-shore city, the Colombo Port City, is likely to attract investment topping US$ 20-25 billion in the coming years, with the large sellable land that will be available at the completion of the city construction with the 3,300-metre long breakwater and filling work. Phase I of the land filling project is expected to start in March this year and will likely to be completed in 24 months while the project more..

Jan 20 (LBT) Intertek, (listed on the London Stock exchange) a leading provider of quality and safety services to a wide range of industries around the world, is all set to open a new apparel and textiles testing laboratory in Bataramulla to support the growing textile and garment industry in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka�s textile and apparel industry accounts for nearly half of all its exports, making it one of the top apparel-producing countries. As this industry continues to grow, so does the demand for more..

Jan 20 (DM) Sri Lanka has named medium paceman Isuru Udana and Dhammika Prasad, all rounders Jeevan Mendis and Kosala Kulasekara, batsmen Angelo Perera and Upul Tharanga, all of whom have represented Sri Lanka in the past to a 30-member preliminary squad for the ICC World T20 to be played in Bangladesh from March 16. Also in the squad are Sri Lanka �A� all rounders Chaturanga de Silva and Milinda Siriwardana while all rounders Dilhara Lokuhettige and Dilruwan Perera more..

Jan 20 (DM) SLC has decided to call back their stars Lasith Malinga and Ajantha Mendis with immediate effect to Sri Lanka from Australia where they are currently playing in the cash-rich Big Bash T20 domestic league sources, SLC Secretary Nishantha Ranatunga said. He said that they communicated their decision to the relevant players who will now return to the island tomorrow. �We felt it is important for all national squad more..

Jan 20 (CG) EPDP leader and Minister Douglas Devananda today urged Tamil political parties to join the Parliament Select Committee (PSC) on the National issue. Speaking at the opening of a new cancer hospital in Jaffna, Devananda said that only through the PSC can the Tamils secure a political solution to their issues. The Minister said that he was confident President Mahinda Rajapaksa will deliver what the Tamils want once a consensus is reached through the PSC. more..

Jan 20 (Island) Minister of Public Relations and Public Affairs Mervyn Silva has been re-appointed SLFP Organiser for the Kelaniya Electorate after a lapse of about one year. he said that he would resume work in the electorate on Thursday (23) at the auspicious time of 2.00 p.m. with the distribution of school books to 1,500 scholarship recipients and also donate Rs. 50,000 each to 46 Buddhist Temples in the electorate, one Christian Church, one Hindu Kovil and a Mosque. more..

Jan 20 (DN) Army presence in the North has been reduced considerably with the end to the conflict and the number of military camps have come down to below 10, President Rajapaksa said yesterday. The strength of military personnel in the province has been reduced from 70,000 to 12,000 with the end to the war. He said that there was an era when military camps were established in every nook and corner of more..

Jan 20 (Island) An offer from the government to a leading UNP reformist to contest the Southern Provincial Council election under the UPFA banner has been politely declined. A UNP MP turned Cabinet minister made overtures to former Southern Provincial Councillor Maithri Gunaratne on behalf of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Gunaratne told The Island that the former UNP stalwart had told him that President Rajapaksa wanted hard working politicians to join the UPFA. more..

Jan 20 (Island) A leading businessman of Nugegoda was strangled to death inside his home at Sapumal Mawatha off Subhadrarama Road, Gangodawila on Saturday night. Sarath Kumara Hewagama (54), a proprietor of Novelty Trade Centre at Bo-tree Junction, Nugegoda was a divorcee living alone. Police said that a son of a friend of the victim had come to stay temporarily with him on Friday (17). The boy, a GCE A/L student, attended a private tuition classes on Saturdays. more..

Jan 20 (Island) Minister Sumedha Jayasena says everybody including Buddhist monks in her electorate demand that ganja (cannabis) be legalized. She said it was difficult to find a person who did not grow ganja in Thanamalwila area. "Even Buddhist monks of the area demand that ganja be legalised. These Bhikkhus come to us and request that laws be amended in Parliament to remove legal barriers to allow free cultivation of ganja," more..

Jan 20 (CT) In the last several weeks, many instances of date expired and rotten products being sold to the public have been brought to light by public health authorities and the officials of the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA), through raids carried out on retail outlets as well as the go-downs of importers, wholesalers and stockists in the city and the suburbs, where food items worth millions of rupees unsuitable for human consumption had been discovered. more..

Jan 20 (CT) Recently there has been, I don�t know whether orchestrated by the UNP or not, a fall back on �There is no alternative� arguments with Ranil Wickremesinghe as the beneficiary of the Hobson�s Choice scenario being depicted. The primary argument for this theory is the fact that the current government, from the very top down, is absolutely corrupt and beyond redemption and Ranil has never been tarred with the brush of financial dishonesty. For starters, in and of itself, more..

Jan 20 (ST) Five months after the eruption of violence that caused three deaths over water contamination concerns in Rathupaswela, Weliweriya, the rubber glove factory that triggered the uproar is being relocated. The water contamination issue is being gradually resolved as the govt took action at the start of the New Year to provide relief to Rathupaswela residents. Water supply pipelines are to be more..

Jan 20 (SL) The residents of Borella are facing great difficulty due to the increasing drug addicts in the area, who have since of late been bold enough to engage in this illegal practice of drug abuse in the open. Residents of Gothami Road in Borella said that these drug addicts are engaging in this practice openly as the police do not frequent that area. �Teenagers are also lured into this drug addiction. They sit along the canal and more..

Jan 20 (GDI) President Mahinda Rajapaksa left this afternoon on a one-day visit to Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. One of the main events on the President�s agenda will be attending the Zayed Future Energy Prize Awards Ceremony, taking place this evening. The annual award �celebrates achievements that reflect impact, innovation, long-term vision and leadership in renewable energy and sustainability.� more..

Jan 20 (CT) The Presidential Commission (PC) to Probe Disappearances commenced its sittings on Saturday in Kilinochchi, ahead of the forthcoming UNHRC sessions, scheduled for March. The Commission received oral and documentary submissions from 52 Tamils in Vannerikulam and Aanaivilunthan, in the Killinochchi District, yesterday, the second day of the sittings, the Secretary to the Commission, more..

Jan 20 (SL) The Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) has sought two weeks time to submit a report over a complaint filed with the Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission by the Wanathamulla area residents. The Sri Lankan Human Rights Commission recently heard the case filed by the Wanathamulla Housing Rights Protection Organization against the plan to demolish houses in the Dematagoda, Wanathamulla area. more..

Jan 20 (SL) Minister Basil Rajapaksa opened �Aliya� holiday resort, the first hotel in the Cultural Triangle, on Saturday heralding a new chapter in cultural tourism. It was built under the programme to construct 50,000 new hotel rooms to accommodate the increasing number of foreign tourists scheduled to visit Sri Lanka by 2016. The Minister said that the Govt�s objective is to develop the tourism industry in ways beneficial to all citizens since more..