Oct 21 (DM) Left-arm spinner Rangana Herath has been named as the Vice-Captain for the 2nd test match against West Indies. The match will be played in Colombo tomorrow. Herath picked up 10 wickets during the first test match played in Galle. Meanwhile, team players Lahiru Thirimanne and Tharindu Kaushal have been replaced by Kusal Mendis and Dilruwan Perera. Sri Lanka are also set to retain Kusal Perera as wicketkeeper batsman. He has been impressive with the bat so far, more..

Oct 21 (CI) The costly drops and missed run-outs in the Galle Test have spurred West Indies to renew their focus on fielding in the approach to the second Test, captain Jason Holder said. The visitors had reprieved Sri Lanka batsmen on at least six occasions - the costliest of which was the drop off Dinesh Chandimal on 11. The batsman went on to hit 151. After that match, Holder had suggest Sri Lanka's total of 484 would have been significantly reduced if his team had held their chances. more..

Oct 21 (AD) Gampaha Magistrate granted bail to Dunesh Priyashantha alia Kondaya and released him over two previous cases. Minuwangoda Magistrate on Oct 19 released Kondaya who had been arrested in connection with the murder and rape of the five-year-old child in Kotadeniyawa. Earlier, Minuwangoda Magitsrate was apprised that DNA samples found on Seya Sadewmi do not match Kondeya. more..

Oct 21 (SLN) The Commanding Officer of the Bangladesh Naval Ship Abu Bakr, Captain Mohammad Mahmudul Malek accompanied by two Midshipmen of the Bangladesh Navy paid a courtesy call on the Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy, Vice Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne at the Naval Headquarters in Colombo on 21st Oct 2015. The Defence Advisor of the Bangladesh High Commission in Sri Lanka was also present on the occasion. They held cordial discussions more..

Oct 21 (DM) Police Legal Division�s Acting Director has been removed from his post with immediate effect while several officers are being investigated after the Legal Division failed to represent IGP N. K Illangakoon in the Prageeth Ekanligoda case earlier this month. Clarifying certain news reports that the IGP had overlooked the Court of Appeal directions to appear in Court on Oct 9, Police said the fault lay with the police legal division which had failed to carry out its duty. more..

Oct 21 (DM) There was no move by the Attorney General or anyone else to sweep the Avant Garde case under the carpet, but facts were being looked at to file legal action against the company under the Money Laundering Act, PM Ranil Wickremesinghe informed Parliament today. Premier, who was responding to a question raised by Chief Opposition Whip Anura Kumara Dissanayake, said the Attorney General had more..

Oct 21 (CI) The only predictable thing about Sri Lanka's weather is that the meteorological department's forecasts will be wrong. They expect daily afternoon thunderstorms in Colombo all through the Test. Going by their track record from Galle, this is an excellent sign the cricket will not be interrupted over the next few days, even if plenty of rain has fallen on the city recently. Both teams will be pleased a result looks likely. West Indies need a victory to save the series, more..

Oct 21 (GDI) Recently, the Economic Section of the French Embassy and the French Development Agency jointly hosted a forum on Green Finance at the Galle Face Hotel. Six speakers from local and international financial institutions involved in Green Finance were invited to share their views and their respective financial instruments to achieve a low-carbon economy. Representatives from govt, banks, think tanks and independent power producers participated in the conference more..

Oct 21 (AD) Former President Rajapaksa said his govt, at no time, contemplated the appointment of foreign experts as judges exercising judicial power in respect of SL armed forces and other Sri Lankan citizens. Stating this during his meeting with Motoo Noguchi of the Supreme Public Prosecutor�s Office of Japan at his residence this morning, Mr Rajapaksa said such a move was �politically unacceptable to our people more..

Oct 22 (CT) On Oct 20, 2015, Sri Lankan Parliament will debate the UNHRC resolution on alleged war crimes, crimes against humanity and the systemic violation of human rights in Sri Lanka. This debate will make history if, and only if, it ends the legacy of political parties coopting debates concerned with ethnicity-related human rights issues to consolidate their political power. This legacy gives life to the same forces that continue to obstruct viable political solution to the ethnic issue. more..

Oct 22 (CT) Wimal Weerawansa is on record saying that Mahinda Rajapaksa never agreed to conduct a domestic inquiry into alleged war crimes. This is an absolute falsehood. Mahinda who presented his 2015 Presidential Election Manifesto agreed for a domestic inquiry on war crimes, London based Daily Mail reported. Daily Mail reported, "Sri Lanka's President, under pressure from his main opponent in upcoming elections, on Tuesday promised a judicial inquiry into allegations that more..

Oct 22 (CT) Q: You are the Treasurer of the SLFP. In the recent months there were tensions between those who support current SLFP Chairman, President Sirisena and former President Rajapaksa. Since the presidential election you have been stating that the party needs reforms to win future election. What steps is the party taking to bring in these reforms? A: The SLFP needs a complete reorganization. more..

Oct 22 (CT) It has been 25 years since the Muslims were forcibly evicted from their homes in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka. It is reported that around 15,000 Muslim families were forcibly expelled by the LTTE from their homes in five districts: Jaffna 3,475, Mannar 8,200, Vavuniya 1,800, Mulaitheevu 1,000 and Kilinochi 525. The displaced Muslims moved to North-Western Province (Puttalam district) where they have been living as IDPs for the past 25 years. more..

Oct 22 (NS) Lovina and Maitland�s love story, which touches on the rodi caste, colonial rule and the Mount Lavinia Hotel, is being brought to school drama and has been adapted to suit the audience. The drama, presented by Ladies� College, Colombo, is based on the book Lovina by Mohan Raj Madawala, but also on facts gathered from the Mount Lavinia Hotel. �By reading Mohan Raj Madawala�s book, I got an idea of the characters involved in the story. more..

Oct 22 (CT) Minister of Fisheries, Mahinda Amaraweera has decided to take a strong stance on Indian fishermen poaching in Sri Lankan waters. He is not the first minister to deal with the Indo-Lanka fishing dispute and many before him have failed to reach an agreement. Amaraweera however added that they would deal directly with the Indian Central Govt on the issue and will not succumb to undue pressure from TN. more..

Oct 22 (CT) Spiritual teachings of all religions say that retribution comes without notice. The doctrine of Lord Buddha is the practical way of life. At times one has to pay for his/her sins during their lifetime and not in births that are anticipated after death. When Hewa Koparage Mervyn Silva born 25 March 1944 popularly known as Mervyn Silva in politics complains to the police that he faces death threats one cannot help him without laughing. Even the police may have laughed when more..

Oct 22 (NS) This week, former President Rajapaksa was summoned before the PRECIFAC after which sittings of the Commission had to be suspended. Rajapaksa is the latest in a list of persons being brought before law enforcement authorities in recent weeks. Janaka Bandara Tennekoon, S Chandrakanthan (Pillayan), Lalith Weeratunga and Anusha Pelpita were summoned before various authorities for on-going inquiries. Always a master in public relations, Rajapaksa used the more..

Oct 22 (SO) The entire nation has raised a relentless cry for justice, via the implementation of the death penalty by hanging. Hanging was one of many forms of punishment used by many civilizations, before being replaced by the electric chair and the lethal injection. In Britain - during the 1700s - there were 222 crimes punishable by death. The death penalty is presently active in 36 countries including China, India and the United States. more..

Oct 22 (ST) Policies and reforms to cope with the emerging socio economic issues of an ageing population and a large old age dependency are inadequate. There is an inbuilt difficulty to reform past practices and inadequate finances for providing needed institutional capacity. The population is projected to grow continuously till around 2031 when it reaches 21.9 million and then begins to decline thereafter to 20.7 million by 2056. During this period the population would be ageing more..

Oct 22 (CT) JVP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Tuesday made a stunning revelation in Parliament that a former Higher Education Minister has robbed valuable furniture and other items donated to the female hostel at the University of Colombo. Dissanayake did not name the minister, but pointed his finger at the bench in Parliament where that minister was now seated. At the time JVP Leader made the charge, minister in question was not present in the House. more..

Oct 22 (FT) Dialog Axiata, largest foreign direct investor operating under the aegis of the BoI, announced the entering into of agreements with the BOI for the investment of an additional sum of $ 175m (Rs. 24.6b) in Sri Lanka�s ICT infrastructure. The investment agreements span a broad scope of ICT infrastructure development by the Dialog Axiata Group encompassing the expansion of 3rd Generation and 4th Generation high speed more..

Oct 22 (PRN) Air China will start a Beijing-Colombo service on October 27, 2015. The service will give passengers easy access to the island gem in the Indian Ocean. Colombo is Sri Lanka's capital and political, economic, cultural and transportation center. Taking a leisurely stroll through the streets of the South Asian coastal city imbued with exotic charms is truly a rewarding experience - flowers are in bloom, coconut trees sway gently in the breeze, fishermen are on stilts, sandy beaches more..

Oct 22 (FT) An initiative by the SLASSCOM Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum, Startup Sri Lanka Survey www.slasscom.lk/startupsrilanka, has the main objective of gaining insights into understanding the current state and most pressing needs of the Sri Lankan Startup community. Survey is targeted at four separate groups and captures unique perspectives from each: Current startups, those actively looking to start a startup, investors of startups and support groups more..

Oct 22 (DM) Speaker Karu Jayasuriya said that a parliamentary session cost as much as Rs.4.6 million and therefore the MPs should take their work seriously in the wake of a tense situation over the mispronunciation of Minister Ravi Karunanayake's name by UPFA MP Bandula Gunawardane during a speech. The atmosphere turned noisy after Mr. Karunanayake demanded the resignation of Mr. Gunawardena. more..

Oct 22 (ST) Shock waves engulfed the watchdogs of the economy with the stunning revelations � some years back � about a gamble involving state funds to the tune of several million dollars in the Ceylon Peroleum Corporation, the largest commercial entity in the corporation sector of the country. Those who were engaged in the exposure in the public interest conjectured then whether the case would be consigned to the political dustbin! Is it becoming a reality now? more..

Oct 22 (FT) US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Atul Keshap is leading the US delegation to the 15th Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Council of Ministers meeting, being held from 20-23 Oct in Indonesia. IORA promotes regional collaboration across the Indian Ocean rim in six key areas: maritime safety and security; trade and investment facilitation; fisheries management; disaster risk management; academic sciences and technology; and tourism & cultural exchanges. more..

Oct 22 (EN) Sri Lanka�s main accounting body is seeking to improve good governance and accountability in the bloated and opaque public sector with better training for accountants employed in state institutions. �I think it is high time some effort taken to reform financial management practices in country,� V Kanagasabapathy, President of the Association of Public Finance Accountants of SL, said. more..

Oct 22 (CT) An unique on-line course to help parents improve their understanding of the Internet and learn how to make its use child safe in their homes, has been launched in Sri Lanka by Guru.lk in response to the ever increasing dangers lurking on the world-wide web. Aptly titled Parenting IT the course, accessible via computers or smartphones, is a combination of lessons on how to navigate and set a computer's privacy settings to protect children, and a wider discourse on understanding more..

Oct 22 (EN) Sri Lankan plantations companies are expected to have another poor earnings quarter with commodity prices still low, stock brokers said. Regional plantations companies collectively lost four billion rupees in the 2014 financial year owing to the slump in commodity prices and high costs. The island�s contraction in exports is expected to continue in the September quarter with demand weak in key export markets like Russia and the Middle East, Sampath Securities said. more..

Oct 22 (Hindu) India�s former Minister P. Chidambaram said credible inquiry [into alleged human rights violations in Sri Lanka] could be achieved in many ways. Mr. Chidambaram, who is the first prominent leader from Tamil Nadu to visit Sri Lanka in recent times, said that �at least, there a few ways. You don�t have to have binary approach.� Asked about his stand on a resolution adopted by the UNHRC early this month on reconciliation more..

Oct 22 (AP) West Indies great Garfield Sobers thinks the increasing player preference for lucrative Twenty20 leagues over conventional formats of the game has contributed to the decline of Caribbean cricket. He said Wednesday that players need to strike a balance between money and national duty. Sobers is visiting Sri Lanka to watch the second test between Sri Lanka and West Indies starting Thursday. The series is being played for the Sobers-Tissera trophy, named in honor of more..

Oct 22 (ENS) Nearly 90% of brand new cars registered in Sri Lanka with engine capacity below 1000 cc are from India, reports Nushka Nafeel of the state-owned Daily News. Other countries which sell cars in the island nation are way behind in this category, with Malaysia accounting for 7%, Japan for 1 percent and others for another 1%. The Sri Lankan car assembler Micro Cars, accounts for 7%. In the pre-owned category, however, Japan has no challenger. It accounts for 99%. more..

Oct 22 (CT) The Govt Medical Officers' Association (GMOA) urged the govt to provide a 30% salary increment to all public servants without violating the National Wage Policy. GMOA General Secretary Dr. Nalinda Herath said that there are suggestions to provide a Rs 10,000 salary increment to all public servants which would violate National Wage Policy and discourage professionals to stay in the public service. more..

Oct 22 (DN) Chinese govt will launch a pilot project for ground water treatment under the chronic kidney diseases prevention programme of the govt. China also plans to offer a kidney disease treatment hospital and kidney ailment research laboratory which will be established in the Anuradhapura district. Chinese help is extended based on the recommendations of a Chinese delegation of experts including geologists, geographers etc. who will be in Anuradhapura on a three-day visit. more..

Oct 22 (CT) V Prabhakaran, leader of the LTTE wanted to divide Sri Lanka with the force or arms and Wimal Weerawansa is trying to divide the country by talking trash, Minister P. Harrison said. He said, "We saw Wimal, Dinesh and some other supporters of former President Rajapaksa talking trash at Viharamahadevi Park. The main objective of the rally was to highlight the word Hybrid. Wimal should look into Shashi Weerawansa's National Identity Card (NIC) before talking trash more..

Oct 22 (LBO) Sri Lanka�s new govt has formed an inter-ministerial task force to develop the economy by integrating important ministries, the Deputy Foreign Minister Harsha de Silva said. Apart from the Foreign Affairs Ministry, the task force mainly coordinates with the Development Strategies and International Trade Ministry and Industry and Commerce Ministry. �We�ve already had the first meeting and had a very good feed back,� more..

Oct 22 (CT) Three customs officers who were apprehended last Thursday by the Bribery Commission for accepting a bribe of Rs 125 million have been instructed to take compulsory leave, Customs Spokesman Leslie Gamini said. He said the three officers will be suspended from work when hearings begin in a Court case against them. Director of Customs Sudheera Jinadasa, Deputy Customs Director Jagath Gunathilake and Assistant Customs Director M.D.U.G Perera were more..

Oct 22 (CT) What the government should do is to draft and formulate a law in the form of a Bill or a Policy on how the domestic mechanism for the inquiry would be conducted and present it to Parliament for a debate, Attorney-at-Law Dr. Prathiba Mahanamahewa said. There is no point in debating the pros and cons of the co-sponsored resolution in Parliament even if the majority disagrees with it as Sri Lanka has agreed to its contents, he pointed out. more..

Oct 22 (FT) PHU Leader and MP Udaya Gammanpila stressed that he would table the Sir Desmond De Silva QC�s report regarding alleged war crimes, if the Govt is unable to do so. Sir De Silva handed over a recommendation report to the past regime on 23 Feb 2014 regarding his legal views over alleged war crimes that took place in Sri Lanka. Gammanpila asserted the Govt should table the report within 24 hours, and prior to more..

Oct 22 (PMD) President Maithripala Sirisena requested artistes and literates to use their pen more strongly in the future than today, to prevent the recurrence of war in the society. The President further said that the war always destroys the truth and annihilate mankind, the war always search for blood and the war not only destroys the physical resources of a country, but damages all moral values including social justice and discipline of the society. more..