Aug 15 (DM) The campaign for Monday�s General Election ended at midnight yesterday, with the focus much on an unexpected issue � President Maithripala Sirisena�s five page letter to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Mr. Rajapaksa�s short response to him. Above and beyond what is essentially an internal party issue the sovereign people during these two days of quiet reflection need to focus on long term issues affecting the next generation. One such important issue is the economy more..

Aug 15 (DM) NASA, the United States� space agency, is turning its telescope towards Sri Lanka. It has found an easy way to send a Rover-like robotic vehicle to Mars. That�s along the nose of our Pinocchio politicians, most of whom have mastered the art of lying to the people so well that they can even outdo the carpenter�s wooden son. Some of these lies find a place in party manifestos. As a result, the manifestos the parties put out with much publicity and media coverage in the presence more..

Aug 15 (DM) Disability Rights Activist Dr. Ajith Perera will contest the forthcoming general elections from the Colombo District as an independent candidate representing the country�s biggest minority constituting of People with Restricted Ability. Q: Why did you decide to contest at the general elections from an independent group? A: Our decision to contest at the upcoming general elections as an independent group was more..

Aug 15 (DBS) PM Ranil Wickremesinghe who is also the leader of the UNP is determined to form a National Govt if returned to power after the August 17th Poll. Since most political observers opine that the next Parliament would be a hung parliament, Wickremesinghe may be in a sense creating a virtue out of necessity as a multi � party coalition is definitely required to cobble together a National Govt with a stable majority. more..

Aug 15 (Island) The people had to suffer due to stopping of all development projects by the present govt to take revenge from him, former President and UPFA PM candidate Mahinda Rajapaksa said yesterday. Addressing the final UPFA election rally in Malihapitiya grounds in Kurunegala, Rajapaksa said that 1.5 million people had lost their jobs due to the halting of development projects after Jan. 08. more..

Aug 15 (Island) JVP leader Anura Kumara yesterday said his party would form a govt in 2020. Addressing the party�s final election rally at Aluthkade, Dissanayake said that he and his party would tireless work towards that goal. "This general election due on August 17 should have been held in April next year, but it has been advanced. We have set four targets for us. The first step was to overthrow the Rajapaksa regime. more..

Aug 15 (DM) The death of popular ruggerite Wasim Thajudeen has created enough and more headlines over the past three years that today, there is no one to relate the true story with regard to the incident. Since there had been delays by certain law enforcement authorities at the time of the incident, the mystery continues to date. However, since the incident has now become the hottest topic in town, dailymirror takes a look at various more..

Aug 15 (Island) PM Ranil Wickremesinghe, addressing the UNP�s final rally at Maradana yesterday said that he had a plan to develop and protect the country with President Maithripala Sirisena. "President Sirisena is ready to work with me as the PM and no Prime Minister can take the country forward while being at loggerheads with the President," he said. International community was ready to help a future UNP govt by more..

Aug 5 (Hindu) K. Krishnakumar (39), the former militant of the proscribed LTTE arrested by the police here on July 20 turned out to be a hard nut to crack and the �Q� Branch police could arrest only one person, a Sri Lankan Tamil who had offered financial assistance to him in the aftermath of his arrest, police sources said. After the special branch team arrested him on the night of July 20 and remanded him in judicial custody, more..

Aug 5 (ST) After having made 300 look like 150 against Pakistan recently, Sri Lanka were back to their ways of making targets of under-200 look like 350-plus by choking the life out of India's chase. Their bowlers had failed to build any pressure in the first innings, but on the fourth day, with the win a possibility, they hardly released it. India needed 153 to win with nine wickets in hand at the start of the day, Rangana Herath and more..

Aug 5 (HRW) Authorities in Sri Lanka should ensure that voters have safe and secure access to the polls to vote in parliamentary elections on August 17, 2015, Human Rights Watch said today. Local monitoring groups have reported numerous incidents of election-related violence and campaigning irregularities in the month leading up to the nationwide polls. The CMEV, a longstanding independent monitoring organization, more..

Aug 15 (DM) The Elections Department introduced an SMS service-2343-for the general public to lodge complaints related to election law violations. Introducing the new service, EC Mahinda Deshapriya said they have deployed separate officers to look into the complaints and then to reply to them. �Today we will try our best to immediately respond to complaints after 10 pm. However, we will continue the service till Tuesday,� he said. more..

Aug 15 (DNA) It wasn't a very happy Independence Day for the Indian cricket fans as Virat Kohli's men succumbed to an embarrassing 63-run defeat against Sri Lanka in the first test who scripted a remarkable turnaround. Set a target of 176, the listless Indians struggled to play spin on a crumbling pitch. No one except Rahane actually covered themselves in much glory and the team get out for a paltry 112. Rangana Herath took 7/48 wickets while Tharindu Kaushal took 3/47. more..

Aug 15 (CT) A Daily Mirror report on 12 Aug 2015 stated that former British PM Tony Blair and his family arrived in Sri Lanka previous day on a two week holiday on an invitation by Foreign Minister Mangala Samarwaeera. Allowing war criminal Tony Blair to step in to the soil of SL, dismissing the sentiments of the island�s Muslim community and all other right thinking people, is not only shocking and insulting but disgraceful. The question is whether this is due to ignorance on international more..

Aug 15 (CT) Police to crackdown on criminals hell bent on disrupting Monday's general election, ran a story on this newspaper's yesterday's edition. It insinuated that criminals who fled the country, apparently during the crackdown by the previous regime, where, more often than not they were subjected to extra-judicial killings if captured, had now returned to the island after the regime change. Those returnees are allegedly planning to unleash violence during the election period. more..

Aug 15 (CT) Any discussion on Economic Development as a national goal, must demonstrate a perspective strongly rooted in modern science. It must take into consideration the reality of the current global crises. It must also understand the history of the crises. In doing so, we might find a way out of the current impasse between economic growth and planetary stability. Life on Earth learnt how to maintain gas and material flows, optimum for the evolution and sustainability of biodiversity. more..

Aug 15 (CI) Angelo Mathews conceded he did not really think Sri Lanka could win at lunch on day three, but suggested the dire match situation unlocked the fearless attitude that won his team the Galle Test. Sri Lanka had been 108 for 5 - still 84 runs adrift of India - when the first session ended on day three. However, a rousing Dinesh Chandimal counterattack and a sublime unbroken fourth-day spell from Rangana Herath sent SL hurtling more..

Aug 15 (Island) Govt, Semi govt and Private Sector Trade Union Alliance urged the public to be vigilant as certain elements might react to violence fearing defeat. Addressing the media conference at the Pharmacist Union Office in Punchi Borella, Joint Convenor of the Alliance, Saman Ratnapriya said that people � especially govt sector employees had already decided whom they would vote for. The elements that feared defeat resorted to violence and intimidation, he observed. more..

Aug 15 (CI) Virat Kohli walked into the post-match media briefing and, clearly and emphatically, pinned the onus of India's defeat at the hands of the batsmen. They were, he said, tentative and minus the fearlessness he believed that was required to chase down a total of 176 against Sri Lanka. India's 63-run defeat after lunch on day four of the Galle Test, which they had controlled for the better part of two days and a session, came about after a horror morning session. more..

Aug 15 (Island) Film Directress and Executive Committee Member of Artistes for Democracy movement, Inoka Sathyangani said she feared for her life following two separate incidents which had taken place on Wednesday night and the early hours of yesterday. Sathyangani, who has also been actively involved with the Purawesi Peramuna (People�s Movement) in the run-up to Monday General Elections, said that more..

Aug 15 (CT) Strengthen the new found optimism is the call made by several Tamil disaspora circles abroad to the Tamil voters in the North and the East as well as to the Sri Lankan voters at large with regard to the next week's parliamentary polls. Global Tamil Forum (GTF) from the UK, Canadian Tamil Congress (CTC) and Tamil National Alliance's Canada branch in their respective statements had pointed out specifically to the voters in the North and the East to create a conducive atmosphere to more..

Aug 15 (CI) 1: Number of previous instances out of 21 attempts of India failing to achieve a target of less than 200 in the fourth innings of a Test - when they were chasing 120 against West Indies at Bridgetown in 1997. 192: The lead conceded by Sri Lanka at the end of the first innings, their biggest when winning a Test. The record is held by Australia, when they overcame a 291-run deficit against Sri Lanka in 1992. Excluding Pakistan's forfeiture at The Oval in 2006, this is only more..

Aug 15 (CG) India says the domestic developments in Sri Lanka and India have led to a revitalization of the relations between both countries. High Commission of India, Y.K. Sinha said this at a ceremony held at India House in Colombo today to celebrated the 69th Independence Day of India. In a speech made at the event, the High Commissioner said that this year has been very eventful for both India and Sri Lanka and India�s policy of more..

Aug 15 (Island) Petitioner Senaka Perera of the Lanka Nawa Samaja Party, sought permission of the Superme Curt to withdraw the petition he had filed, complaining of extensive security services given to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, during the on-going polls campaign. Supreme Court allowed the withdrawal and dismissed the petition. Counsel, Lakshman Dias, appeared for the petitioner. Deputy Solicitor General, Narin Pulle, appeared for the Attorney General. more..

Aug 15 (DM) Police Chief N.K. Ilangakoon said 63,000 police personnel belonging to all ranks would be deployed on election duty in view of Monday�s general elections. He said they would be deployed at Elections centres, counting centres and would also carry out duties such as patrolling, manning check points and anti-riot squads. Steps would be taken to seek the assistance of the STF and the Civil Defence Force as well. Police were able to cut down on election violence because more..

Aug 15 (AD) Election Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya says that it is highly unlikely that the first result of the 2015 General Election will be released before midnight on Aug 17. �I don�t believe we will be able to issue the election result of even one electorate before midnight,� he said. �Sometimes if the number of candidates is small we might be able to issue the result by midnight.� Deshapriya stated that he believed more..

Aug 15 (IST) Indian captain Virat Kohli today made it clear that the issue regarding the use of the controversial Decision Review System (DRS) needs to be deliberated after the end of the ongoing three-Test series against Sri Lanka.India lost the first Test from a winning position, getting bowled out for 112 in the fourth innings to go down by 63 runs. The debate about India not using DRS again started after Man-of-the-Match Dinesh Chandimal, batting on 5, was adjudged not out off more..

Aug 15 (CG) Deputy British High Commissioner, Laura Davies, notes that SL�s property laws are complex and difficult to navigate, especially for foreigners. She said this in a blog posting after a visit to Galle where she spent time with a few of the 5,000 long term British residents in Sri Lanka. Particularly on the South Coast, many are involved in tourism, running small hotels and guest villas that keep SL�s tourism figures booming and spread its economic dividends deep into the community. more..

Aug 15 (TS) While he bided his time hiding out in Malaysia, a senior LTTE fighter has been raking in hundreds of thousands of ringgit scamming and even extorting his fellow men. It is learnt that the 37-year-old man, who was detained in the city on Aug 7, had been active in the most profitable of all scams � forging credit cards. Sources revealed that he was part of a syndicate that cloned credit cards held by a Sri Lankan more..

Aug 15 (CT) The family of Prageeth Ekneligoda lodged a complaint at the office of the IGP N.K. Illangakon yesterday seeking release of information discovered in the investigation into the disappearance of the journalist in 2010. Prageeth Ekneligoda's son, Sanjaya Ekneligoda said the written complaint was sent to the IGP, Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya, as well as the Presidential Secretariat for the attention of President Maithripala Sirisena. more..

Aug 15 (DN) The Chief Observer of the European Union Election Observation Mission (EUEOM) visited the Southern Province yesterday. The Chief Observer of the EUEOM Christian Preda arrived in Colombo on Wednesday. While in Galle, Preda met the District Returning Officer, UPFA, UNP and JVP candidates and representatives of the Southern Province. He was also scheduled to meet representatives of local election observers, PAFFREL and CMEV in Southern Province. more..

Aug 15 (Island) An Information Desk to facilitate the arrangements for the first meeting of the first session of the eighth Parliament that will be elected on Monday will be operative in the House from 9.30 a.m. to 3.30 p.m. on Sunday 23rd, Monday 24th and Tuesday 25th August, for the convenience of parliamentarians. All MPs are requested to make use of the opportunity without fail as the arrangements have been made to more..

Aug 15 (NS) The UNFGG and the JVP have stated that former President Mahinda Rajapaksa would be stripped of his civic rights and thereby shatter his dreams of becoming the Prime Minister, even if he secures a parliamentary seat. UNFGG General Secretary and Minister Champika Ranawaka addressing a press briefing last Tuesday said that the former President would lose not only his MP post but also his civic rights for violation of the Clause No: 157 of the Constitution. more..

Aug 15 (NS) Chairman of the Board of Investment (BOI), Upul Jayasuriya last week said that govt�s recent decision to discontinue the implementation of the Strategic Development Project Act (SDPA) will not be applied retroactively and hence will not affect those projects that had already been agreed upon by the govt with the contractors. His comments came in the wake of a newspaper quoting the BOI Chairman disclosing that the strategic development deals of the planned projects namely more..

Aug 15 (PSL) President Maithripala Sirisena pledged to hold the upcoming Parliamentary Elections in a free and fair manner. President also said that he will create an environment where the Election Commissioner and the law enforcement officers headed by the IGP will be able to do their duties without any undue interference. He made these observations when he met with the Commonwealth Observer Group at more..

Aug 15 (PTI) Sri Lankan supporters and players present at the Galle International stadium gave a fitting farewell to Kumar Sangakkara playing his penultimate Test match at the very venue he made his debut 15 years ago. It could not have been a better last match in Galle for their favourite son as the home team scripted one of their finest turnarounds with a 63-run win. While it was a quiet Test match by Sangakkara�s standards as he scored 5 and 40 in the two innings but more..

Aug 15 (FT) The Treasury has released Rs. 17.18 billion to relevant ministries for the expenses incurred to maintain the guaranteed price for tea, rubber and paddy purchasing and other subsidies announced in the Interim Budget 2015. Finance Ministry said the expenditure also includes the 50% reduction of farmers� loan and 15% interest on fixed deposits for the senior citizens. Govt expects to purchase 120,000 MTs of paddy under the guaranteed price during this Yala season and more..

Aug 15 (Hindu) After a month-long exhaustive election campaign, UNP leader and PM Ranil Wickremesinghe did not look tired when THE HINDU met him at his official residence, Temple Trees, on Saturday morning. He was quite cheerful and relaxed. Answering questions on a range of topics, Mr Wickremesinghe is hopeful of his party getting a majority this time even though only on two occasions (1989 and 2010), a party or more..

Aug 16 (SO) All the shouting, hooting, cheering, the tears and jeers and, the shooting and fisticuffs is over - or, so we hope. All these past weeks it was the day of the politician as our aspiring leaders perspired their way across the land, on foot and in trishaws for some and in SUVs for others, all campaigning for election to seats in Parliament and for governmental power. The media spotlight was firmly on them these past weeks while the citizenry watched and listened, more..