July 7 (Island) Health care facilities should be made available to the estate community of the country without any discrimination, Minister Palani Digambaram stressed. He was addressing a workshop on the Health and Nutrition Status of the plantation Community. He noted that the health statistics for estate sector was inadequate due to lack of qualified doctors on the plantations and successive govts more..

July 7 (FT) Before contesting the election, Mahinda Rajapaksa needs to prove that he and his family are not corrupt, notes TNA strongman Suresh Premechandran. �If he (Rajapaksa) comes to power, he will safeguard his entire family and protect them from all the allegations against them,� Premechandran said, adding, �We supported Sinhalese people to bring a change in the govt. Now it is up to the Sinhalese people to decide more..

July 7 (Island) Former President Chandrika Kumaratunga says that she has a right and qualifications to contest elections more than many other politicians. She said: "I have not done anything wrong. I have not committed theft. I don�t have blood on our hands. Therefore, I am better qualified than anyone else to contest elections." She said some politicians were boasting that they had made SL the miracle of Asia, more..

July 7 (EN) PM Ranil Wickremesinghe said a new parliamentary probe will be initiated into a controversial bonds sale where a firm connected to Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran's son-in-law benefitted. "When the next parliament meets, three months will be given for a select committee to probe this and three or four other frauds at the Central Bank," Wickremesinghe said. He said if Perpetual Treasuries, the company more..

July 7 (CI) Younis Khan's epic, unbeaten 171 led Pakistan to their highest successful chase, the second highest in Asia for any side, and the sixth highest in all Test cricket. It also gave them their first series win in Sri Lanka since 2006, and catapulted them to third in the ICC Test rankings. The feat required the highest fourth-innings partnership for Pakistan, 242 between Younis and Shan Masood, who fell on the more..

July 7 (AD) In case former President Mahinda Rajapaksa is unable to contest the upcoming General Election under the UPFA due to a breakdown in the Mahinda-Maithri collaboration, Rajapaksa is scheduled to contest under the Our Sri Lanka Freedom Front (Ape Sri Lanka Nidahas Peramuna) with the symbol of a budding flower. The party which was formerly named Sri Lanka National Front with the symbol cricket bat recently more..

July 7 (Island) Govt Medical Officers� Forum (GMOF) has vehemently opposed what it calls an arbitrary attempt to appoint two deputy directors general (DDGs) in govt health service. Welcoming the creation of the two new positions, namely that of DDG Non Communicable Diseases (NCD) and the DDG Medical Supplies Division in Health Ministry a GMOF member said his organisation took exception to the manner in which the Health Minister was trying to appoint two officers. more..

July 7 (Island) The Supreme Court yesterday granted parties time till October, 9, 2015 to file written submissions in respect of the preliminary objections raised by the parties cited as respondents in five petitions filed by Gunadasa Amerasekera and four others. The petitioner has said the TNA and the ITAK has said during the provincial council polls, in the North, that they would work for a separate Tamil state in the North. The petitioner wanted the court to direct the IGP and the CID to find out whether more..

July 7 (Reuters) Sri Lankan shares fell to their lowest in more than 12 weeks on Tuesday led by market heavyweight John Keells Holdings Plc as political uncertainty dented investor sentiment ahead of parliamentary elections. The main stock index ended 0.31% weaker at 6,967.78, its lowest close since April 10. The day's turnover was 713.5 million rupees ($5.34 million), less than this year's daily average of 1.07 billion rupees. Shares in John Keells Holdings fell 1.1% more..

July 7 (CT) Contemplating a return of Mahinda Rajapaksa is a gut churning and an offensive experience to those in possession of even a minuscule awareness of the value of autonomy and freedom of the individual. Nevertheless, we must come to terms with the materiality that Mahinda Rajapaksa is an exceptional politician who continues to retain a substantial reservoir of mass support and adulation. The return of the redeemer and road builder to that exalted status of supreme law more..

July 7 (CI) Sri Lanka did not imagine they could lose the match at lunch on day four, Angelo Mathews admitted after Pakistan strode to a seven-wicket win in Pallekele, to complete a 2-1 series victory. Mathews had been instrumental in Sri Lanka's third-innings 313, which set up a lead of 376. However, Pakistan chased down this target with ease, inside four sessions of batting. Sri Lanka's seamers had claimed two early wickets in Pakistan chase, more..

July 7 (CI) 382: Pakistan's total was their best in the fourth innings of a Test and also their highest successful chase. It was also the sixth highest successful chase overall in Tests. 171: Younis Khan's score was the the highest by a Pakistan batsman in the fourth innings of a Test. It was also the fifth highest individual score in a successful chase, behind efforts from Greenidge, Arthur Morris, Bradman and Mark Butcher. 7: Number of wickets by which Pakistan won this Test, more..

July 7 (CT) Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa after having been given nomination to contest the 17 August, 2015 General Election under the UPFA ticket on Friday, in probably his first interview to the media, reproduced by this newspaper on its yesterday's edition, revealed his prime ministerial ambitions. In a 10 questionnaire interview with rediff.com, an Indian website, he sidestepped the first question as to whether he would be the SLFP led UPFA's premier candidate, more..

July 7 (CI) Uncapped left-arm spinning allrounders Milinda Siriwardana and Sachith Pathirana have been called up to Sri Lanka's squad for the five-match ODI series against Pakistan. Test spinners Rangana Herath and Tharindu Kaushal have been left out, as have seamers Nuwan Kulasekara and Dhammika Prasad. In addition to the new allrounders, Sachithra Senanayake and legspinner Seekkuge more..

July 7 (LI) The re-emergence of Sri Lanka's controversial former president, Mahinda Rajapaksa, as the leader of the main opposition alliance in the country's general elections in August, and as potential prime minister, appears to signal the end of the country's brief democratic honeymoon and a return to divisive politics as usual. Six months after his stunning victory in presidential election, Maithripala Sirisena faces a renewed challenge from the man he ousted. more..

July 7 (Island) Supreme Court fixed for support on July 10, the fundamental rights violation petition, filed by Tiran Alles, alleging imminent, illegal arrest. Additional Solicitor General who appeared for the IGP and the Director of the CID, gave an undertaking to the Court that Alles would not be arrested until July 10. The status quo would remain the same, he assured. Alles has said that the CID says he is suspected of having financial transaction with the LTTE. more..

July 7 (AFP) World Food Program is being investigated in Sri Lanka for gifting luxury duty-free vehicles to a charity headed by former president Rajapakse's wife. Police said an investigation into an accident involving a sports utility vehicle revealed that it was one of two SUVs to be given as a donation by the UN agency to Shiranthi Rajapakse's Siriliya Saviya Foundation and that neither party had paid import taxes which more..

July 7 (AD) The Mahiyanganaya Magistrate�s Court on Monday remanded Parliamentarian Thenuka Vidanagamage till 14 July in connection with his alleged involvement in an assaulting incident during the last Uva Provincial Council election. The former MP was remanded when he surrendered to the Court through his counsel, a short while ago, Ada Derana court reporter said. Earlier, the police apprehended four more suspects in connection with the incident. more..

July 7 (FT) President Maithripala Sirisena was a witness at the wedding of budding politician Hirunika Premachandra held in Colombo yesterday. Hirunika, who was a model before she started her political career, married actor, model and TV presenter Hiran Yatowita. Only a few close associates were invited to the wedding. President Sirisena and Minister Rajitha Senaratne signed as witnesses. Premachandra, a Western Provincial Councillor, is the daughter of late Bharatha Lakshman more..

July 7 (DM) PM Ranil Wickremesinghe said former Chairman of the COPE D.E.W. Gunasekera and reports in the media regarding the recent inquiry into the Bond scam had violated the Parliamentary Privileges Act In a letter addressed to Secretary General of Parliament, the PM said both Gunasekera and certain media institutions should be penalised under Section 22, Sub Section 5 for coming up with false more..

July 7 (S&S) A 23-year-old Sri Lankan woman died early Saturday morning in Bahrain after falling from the balcony of a ninth-floor residence belonging to a U.S. Marine.The woman, Nimesha Gunasekera, was attending a party at Class Plaza Two in Juffair at the time of the incident, according to the Naval Criminal Investigative Service Middle East field office. Witnesses claim Gunasekera was �visibly intoxicated and stumbling.� A Marine attempted to grab her but was unable to reach her in time. more..

July 7 (Island) Deputy Minister of Environment and Mahaweli Wasantha Aluwihare says that there will be a national govt after the August 17 polls. Deputy Minister Aluwihare, addressing a ceremony at the Matale Hotel School auditorium to distribute land deeds among 1,100 recipients on Saturday, said that the UNP and SLFP would form a national govt for a period of five years to develop the country. "That national govt would banish fraudsters and corrupt politicos. more..

July 7 (DM) Dhanuna Thilakaratne, who was mired in controversy during the last Presidential Election, would contest at the upcoming General Elections from the Democratic Party led by Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka. He said that he had decided to contest the elections in order to strengthen the Democratic Party as it lacked a second tier. �I will contest from Colombo East in order to strengthen the Democratic Party more..

July 7 (CT) Former Kilinochchi MP of the TNA Sivagnanam Sritharan, condemning the rehabilitation programme for 11 Grama Niladaris of the Jaffna and Kilinochchi Districts said, they were sent there accusing them of having links with the LTTE. He further said that they were sent for rehabilitation without any Court Order but on an order from the Secretary to the Defence Ministry. It is not known whether they will be taken back to service after rehabilitation, he said. more..

July 7 (CG) Improvements in Sri Lanka�s human rights situation led to the United States giving back the GSP trade concession to Sri Lanka. Deputy Foreign Minister Ajith Perera said that Sri Lanka has made notable progress on the human rights issue and this has been recognized by countries like the US. The US Department of Commerce announced last week announced that the US President had restored the GSP with effect from 29 June 2015 for a number of countries including Sri Lanka. more..

July 7 (EN) Sri Lanka's police Tuesday made their first ever arrest of a Supreme Court judge who was accused of sexually assaulting a 30-year-old woman, officials said. Sarath de Abrew was arrested following investigations into a complaint that he tried to force a 39-year-old woman to have sex with him in Mount Lavinia and beat her up when she refused, a police official said. The judge, who is in his 60s, was taken before a more..

July 7 (NS) Ven. Maduluwawe Sobhitha Thera reiterated yesterday that it is the responsibility of the people not to elect corrupt people, murderers, drug traffickers, ethanol dealers, uneducated people etc to Parliament. The Thera who is actively engaging in Sri Lankan politics pleaded that each and every citizen of the country to elect a group responsible people who could enact laws to govern the country and keep those respected by whole the country. Ven. Thera was speaking at more..

July 7 (CG) Western Province Chief Minister Prasanna Ranatunga has been summoned before the police Financial Crimes Investigations Division (FCID). Ranatunga has been asked to appear before the FCID on Thursday morning. The Western Province Chief Minister is to be questioned over allegations surrounding a land deal. Ranatunga had last week denied allegations of corruption made against him and his wife after his wife was also questioned over the same land deal. more..

July 7 (CG) Office of former President Rajapaksa says the allegation that Rajapaksa and his family had ordered breakfast for over Rs. 9.4 million from a Colombo five star hotel and not paid the bill, is false. Former UNP MP Nalin Bandara had said that the Rajapaksa family had ordered breakfast for over Rs. 9.4 million from The Hilton Hotel and not paid the bill. This was supposed to be cost incurred for a single family meal. more..

July 7 (DM) Vijitha Rohana Wijemuni, the Naval Rating who hit the then Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi during an inspection of guard of honour outside the President�s House, Colombo in 1987, is to lead the Bodu Jana Peramuna (BJP) election campaign from Gampaha, the party said. BJP is the election wing of BBS Organisation formed aiming the upcoming parliamentary election. BBS National Organiser Ven. Witharandeniye Nanda Thera is to lead the BJP election campaign from more..

July 7 (IE) Bavalan Pathmanathan, a Sri Lanka born cricketer, died after being hit on the chest during a British Tamil League Division 3 match in Surrey, UK, on Sunday. The 24-year-old was playing for the Manipay Parish Sports Club when a ball hit him in the chest. An air ambulance was flown into the Litton Dong recreational ground. But Pathmanathan died of a heart failure later, the British Tamil League official website said. Pathmanathan was originally from Jaffna, Sri Lanka. more..

July 7 (CG) UPFA General Secretary Susil Premajayantha is to meet President Maithripala Sirisena to discuss the nominations list of the UPFA for the Parliament elections. Senior SLFP members may also attend the meeting expected to take place tonight and the issue over handing nominations to former President Rajapaksa will also be discussed. Earlier this afternoon a meeting took place between Premajayantha more..

July 8 (CT) Strange happenings are taking place in our country in the socio-political field at the national level. Behind the struggle between political parties for power and influence and behind the choice between the economic theories of socialism and capitalism we can clearly see another struggle taking place. It is the eternal struggle between Good and Evil, Virtue and Vice, Decency and Grossness, Beauty and Ugliness. The contention between good and evil takes place in the hearts of more..

July 8 (CT) Warning & Disclaimer: This article may cause increased blood pressure, increased adrenaline rush, and tooth grinding and tantalization to type in filth in the comment section, to those who identify themselves based on their ethnicity and not as an individual. They are kindly advised not to proceed below this line. It was in 1991. I don�t remember the month or the day. I was just 5 years old then. In the morning about 7.00 am, shells started to land in our village from more..

July 8 (CT) A vibrant street campaign led by polls monitor PAFFREL is currently under way to compel political parties to select clean candidates for the August 17 Parliamentary polls. The organisers took to the streets a few days ago, to seek people's support for the March 12 Declaration, a set of criteria for a new political culture drafted by PAFFREL and a collective of civil society organisations. The party leaders counter signed the declaration more..

July 8 (CT) Education is a right because it has helped to evolve the human civilization. Directly and indirectly education has contributed to enhance the living standards of humans over the centuries. Despite being a developing country, Sri Lanka has been providing free education for children for decades and it has resulted in a very high literacy rate of over 90%. However, in the recent past education policy as well as the commitment of the govt to sustain the free education system more..

July 8 (SL) An absurd looking fish called the Tank Cleaner or Scavenger Fish has become a permanent member and is a common sight in a domestic fish tank. The Tank Cleaner is entrusted with the most serious task of cleaning and maintaining the beauty of the tank which is always ruined by the much attracted other inhabitants of its� environment. The role of this unsung hero is never taken to account during its� lifetime hence it is covered with the glamour and the glitter of more..

July 8 (CT) TNA former Eastern Province MP Pakkiaselvam Ariyanethran said contesting in a coalition with Western Provincial Councillor Mano Ganesan's party outside the North and the East should be reconsidered several times as his party has a special identity with upcountry Tamils and the TNA represents the Tamils of the North and the East. The identity of both groups of Tamils should be ensured and secured at the more..

July 8 (Island) Sri Lanka has, at long last, woken up to the need for having clean political representatives. Civil society organisations, the clergy, the media etc are in overdrive to rid politics of dregs. This is something long overdue. The need for cleansing politics cannot be overemphasised. But, the question is where to find so many clean politicians to fill Parliament. Anyone who has either led or supported or been part of an organisation, political or otherwise, responsible for corruption, more..