Dec 26 (FT) The UN, which has estimated that over 40,000 civilians have disappeared during the war in the north, has overlooked the over 65,00 disappearances which occurred in the South during the JVP insurrections from 1986 to 1990, according to former Chairman of the UGC and SL�s former Ambassador to the Philippines Prof. Gamini Samaranayake. �Why was there was no concern from the UN about the disappearances in the south? We shouldn�t allow this injustice to be more..

Dec 26 (DM) A total of 572 prisoners, who were sentenced for minor offences, had been set free from all the prisons across the country to mark the Christmas Day. Prisons Spokesman said prisoners who had been convicted for minor offences under the Penal Code had been granted Presidential pardon. �Inmates jailed for minor offences including those who were jailed for not being able to pay fines have been released. Seven female inmates were among the released prisoners,� he said. more..

Dec 26 (SO) Govt will discuss the future of the Development (Special Provisions) Bill within the constitutional and legal framework considering the suggestions and amendments made by the Provincial Councils which oppose the Bill in its present form, Deputy Minister of Public Enterprice Development, Eran Wickramaratne said. �The draft bill will be open for discussion and for amendment after it is presented in parliament. more..

Dec 26 (CT) The highest revenue generated from the Southern Expressway (E01) and Katunayake Expressway (E03) per day was recorded last Saturday, RDA said. E01 had generated a revenue of Rs 18.85 million on 24 Dec, which is an increase of approximately Rs 7 million from average daily revenue. Revenue generated by E01 had increased by 60%. About 61,900 vehicles had travelled on E01 on Saturday, while approximately 33,800 vehicles had used E03 on Friday. more..

Dec 26 (CT) The national cricket selectors are furious over the influence of Executive Committee members of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) on the selection of the national squad. A source said that the selectors have been forced to include certain players that they didn't want to name in the current squad to South Africa. Meanwhile, SLC's decision to stop sending selectors for tours, has left the panel headed by former captain and chairman of selectors Sanath Jayasuriya red-faced. more..

Dec 26 (Island) The National War Heroes Front has taken up with President Maithripala Sirisena a range of contentious issues including the ongoing moves to introduce a new Constitution at the expense of Sri Lanka�s unitary status. The grouping urged President Maithripala Sirisena to ensure national security. The delegation included Major. Gen Kuma Herath, Colonel J. Ritigahapola, Major P. Undugoda, more..

Dec 26 (GDI) SL High Commission in New Delhi organized a trade promotion event on 21st Dec at the High Commission premises. The event was jointly sponsored by the Department of Commerce SL, and the Indian Importers Chambers of Commerce in New Delhi, India. The main focus of the event was to promote Sri Lanka�s exports among the members of Indian Importers Chamber of Commerce & Industry. At the inaugural speech, High Commissioner Chitranganee Wagiswara, more..

Dec 26 (DM) A woman, who was receiving treatment at the Neville Fernando Teaching Hospital Malabe (NFTH), had allegedly died of suspicious circumstances yesterday, GMOA said. GMOA Secretary Navin De Zoysa said the woman, a resident of Dompe, had died after she underwent a surgery at the hospital. GMOA said, Health Ministry and SL Medical Council should conduct an investigation into the incident. �This is not the first time an incident of this nature had happened more..

Dec 26 (ENS) Trial by jury is not suitable for politically sensitive cases in which the defendants are Security Forces personnel and the victims seeking justice are from a minority community, says TNA MP, M.A. Sumanthiran. �Given the consistent pattern of the juries acquitting the accused in cases where these are Security Forces personnel and the victims are Tamils, it is better to go for a Trial-at-Bar in which more..

Dec 26 (DM) Yesterday (25) Christians the world-over celebrated the birth of the Christ child. As the clock struck twelve, the stillness of the night was shattered as crackers and fireworks exploded commemorating the birth of Christ. A man born in a cattle-shed in Bethlehem. �Yes, Christ, whom all Christians believe is God made man, was actually born in a cattle-shed, amidst sheep, cows and the putrid smell of cattle urine and dung. This is the eternal truth and reality of Christmas. more..

Dec 26 (DM) When independence was granted to Ceylon, the alternative to the UNP at the 1947 parliamentary election was the LSSP.�In that first Parliamentary elections the Ceylon National Congress which merged with the Sinhala Maha Sabhava (SMS) to form the UNP led by D.S. Senanayake, could not have a clear majority.�In a Parliament of 101 MPs with 95 elected, UNP managed only 42 seats. They coalesced with All Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC) that had 7 more..

Dec 26 (SL) A telephone conversation between former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and slain founding Editor of The�Sunday�Leader, Lasantha Wickrematunge which was leaked last week, has exposed how Rajapaksa allegedly� leaked information to the media against his own cabinet members. Sources said that when Rajapaksa was in the cabinet of former President Chandrika Kumaratunga more..

Dec 26 (DBS) Spotlight beams this week on Gamini Fonseka the first super star of Sinhala cinema. I had begun preparing this article many months ago to mark the 80th birth anniversary of Sembuge Gamini Shelton Fonseka who was born on March 21st 1936. My old schoolmate and journalistic colleague Prasad Gunewardene had been extremely keen that I should write about his Gamini Mama. Prasad�s paternal grandmother was Gamini�s more..

Dec 26 (DM) The Police was under obligation to provide news to private media institutions, especially when the Right to Information (RTI) Act is in effect in the country, National Police Commission (NPC) Secretary Ariyadasa Cooray said. Police had earlier said that the Police news would not be sent daily to private media institutions through emails with effect from Dec 21. IGP was reported to have instructed that daily updates be sent only to more..

Dec 26 (Island) Sri Lanka Press Institute (SLPI) has strongly defended Norway-based Rajan Chelliah�s participation at a two-day media workshop recently conducted in Colombo. Military sources alleged that Chelliah had been one of the top LTTE propagandists responsible for the outfit�s overseas operations. Sources said that Chelliah spearheaded anti-SL campaigns during the war and was involved in propagating more..

Dec 26 (NR) The Colombo National Hospital says the number of accidents during the past two days has increased by seven per cent in comparison to last year. Chief Training Nurse of Colombo National Hospital Pushpa Ramyani Soyza said the number of road accidents has also increased by 14 per cent in comparison to 2015. However, she said other accidents have decreased in comparison to the previous year. more..

Dec 26 (DM) Public Administration Ministry had drafted the bill for the introduction of a new pension scheme for Public Servants and had submitted to President and PM for consideration. The bill, if enacted, will provide for the establishment of a contributory pension fund for public servants joining the service in future. Subject Minister Ranjith Madduma Bandara said proposed National Pension Bill had been drafted more..

Dec 26 (ENS) The widow of the assassinated TNA MP, Nadarajah Raviraj, will be moving the Court of Appeal against the Colombo High Court�s order acquitting five persons including Sri Lankan intelligence personnel, who were accused of planning and executing the murder of the Jaffna district MP here on Nov 10, 2006. Counsel for Mrs.Raviraj, M.A.Sumanthiran, who himself is a TNA MP, said that the appeal will be filed by him more..

Dec 26 (CT) A proposal has been submitted to the District Development Committee of Kilinochchi suggesting that the burial grounds in Mulankavil and Kanakapuram in Kilinochchi, where the deceased members of the LTTE are buried, to be declared as sacred sites. The District Development Committee of Kilinochchi has discussed the matter when it met on Saturday at the District Secretary's Office in Kilinochchi. more..

Dec 26 (NR) Sri Lanka celebrates the National Safety Day today, marking the 12th anniversary of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. The disaster which battered Sri Lanka in 2004 had a catastrophic impact in the areas of Galle, Hambantota, Matara and the North Eastern Province. Approximately 36,000 lives were lost while 5,000 were reported missing and 95,000 others were deprived of their livelihood. more..

Dec 26 (Island) Mahanayake Theras of Malwatte and Asgiriya stressed the need for giving foremost place Buddhasasana and protecting Buddhist Shrines in northern Sri Lanka when they met PM Ranil Wickremesinghe on Saturday in Kandy. Most Ven. Tibbatuwawe Sri Siddhartha Sumangala Mahanayake Thera said, that the ancient rulers of SL sought the advice of the Mahasangha before making decisions on vital national issues. more..

Dec 26 (CT) President urged all Catholic Bishops in the country to pray for rain to get rid of the prevailing drought situation in the country when he participated at the State Christmas festival held in Negombo last Friday. The drought situation has worsened in several parts in the country forcing people, particularly the farmers to hold prayers in the places of worship. A special prayer was held in a temple in Jaffna where the farmers had cooked milk rice and offered to the deities to bless them with rain. more..

Dec 26 (CT) The more positive way to view the year 2016 that comes to a close this week is that it was about the govt preparing for the changes to come in 2017. This period of preparation must necessarily change into one of materializing of plans if the support of those who voted to bring the govt to power is to be sustained. Apart from the lifting of the thrall of fear, everything else appears to be in a preparatory stage instead of being susceptible to speedy implementation. more..

Dec 26 (CT) Flanked by two notorious Buddhist monks, Justice�and Buddha Sasana Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe once again played with numbers, claiming that there were 28,000 Sinhalese in Batticaloa before the war, even though statistics released by the�Department of Census and Statistics very clearly state that that there were only 11,255 Sinhalese in Batticaloa in 1981, in comparison to 233,713 Sri Lanka Tamils and 78,829 Sri Lanka Muslims. more..

Dec 26 (Island) One-time Chief of Staff of the Navy Rear Admiral (retd.) Sarath Weerasekera told President Maithripala Sirisena last week that war winning Army Commander Sarath Fonseka couldn�t hold the rank of Field Marshal and be a member of parliament simultaneously. President was told that National List MP Fonseka had been appointed Field Marshal in violation of the Constitution. Former UPFA MP pointed out to President Sirisena, who is also the Commander-in-Chief more..

Dec 26 (Island) Specially trained canines have been deployed to detect drugs during the Sri Pada season. Following the arrest of a group of youth at the Mausakele police post with drugs the police decided to use sniffer dogs. The services of Belgium canine Cora would be obtained to detect narcotics. A senior police officer said that during the long weekends and holidays a large number of visitors converged from various parts of the country and among them were drug addicts. more..

Dec 26 (AD) Several flights from Bandaranaike International Airport to India, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia will be delayed till noon due to temporary closure of Indian eastern airspace. India is set to test its indigenously developed intercontinental surface-to-surface nuclear capable ballistic missile Agni-5 from the Wheeler Island off Odisha coast on Monday. Range coordination has reached its final stage for the 4th test of Agni-5 missile, Defence Research & Dev. Org (DRDO) sources said. more..

Dec 26 (DM) Last year it was a bra this year it is a tree; SL apparently likes to finish the year off with a controversial bang. This year, the proposed World�s Tallest Christmas Tree at Galle Face has managed to stir up quite a debate, a result that seems to plague recent projects on this stretch of beach. Project started in August under the auspices of Minister Arjuna Ranatunga in an effort publicised as creating World�s Tallest, more..

Dec 26 (DN) Eastern Provincial Council's decision to the Special Development Bill will be announced after a vote, Eastern Chief Minister Hafiz Nazeer Ahmed said. He said that all Provincial Council members� opinion to the Special Development Bill will be important. Ahmed said he and his members couldn't concentrate on the Special Development Bill due to the budget of the Eastern Province for 2017. The Chief Minister said since a stand on the Special Development Bill needed some time, more..

Dec 26 (Island) Troops have recovered mortar shells, anti personnel mines, Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPG) and other explosives from various places in the North and the East during the five days from Dec. 20 to 24, army sources said yesterday. Acting on information received, troops in the general area of Aumuttukulam recovered two Rocket Propelled Grenades on Saturday. On the same day troops in the East recovered one 60 mm mortar bomb from the Morakotanchena area. more..

Dec 26 (DN) The FCID conducting investigations into financial misconduct allegations against former SL Ambassador to the US Jaliya Wickramasuriya informed Court that they were expecting to file a separate case against the former Ambassador for allegedly negotiating medical bills of former PM D.M. Jayaratne through the SL Embassy in the US. FCID informed Colombo Fort Magistrate that more..

Dec 26 (AD) Two Western Provincial Councilors were remanded over their alleged involvement in an illegal assembly on Monday. Suspects were remanded after being produced before the Negombo Magistrate�s Court. Police also had to use teargas and water cannons to disperse a group of protesters who were engaged in a demonstration blocking Colombo�Negombo main road and railway track near Galkanda on 2 Dec. Protest was staged against the decision to increase vehicle fines. more..

Dec 26 (CT) Deputy Minister Sumedha G. Jayasena had intervened to sort out the issues that had cropped up, due to the construction of an electric fence, in the Mahakalugolla area of the Siyambalanduwa Grama Niladhari Division in Moneragala District. Electric fence had been constructed to ward off wild elephants. Deputy Minister had gone to the area and taken steps to sort out the issues after having spoken to villagers, Wildlife Department officers and the Police. more..

Dec 26 (LBO) Sri Lanka vehicle registrations edged higher in November compared with October, on most categories, likely driven by pre-budget demand. Three-wheelers and hybrids showed higher registrations, while one Rolls Royce Wraith was registered in the luxury car segment. But vehicle registrations were down sharply from the figure 12 months ago, when the country seemed to be on a buying spree spurred by lower duties. more..

Dec 26 (Island) UPFA MP Namal Rajapaksa on Saturday led a protest march in Hambantota, demanding that the govt abandoned plans to acquire 15,000 acres of land for the proposed Chinese industrial projects. The group dashed coconuts and shouted anti-govt slogans. MP Rajapaksa said the Joint Opposition strongly opposed the project as it would displace a large number of families there. Hambantota UPFA MP D.V. Chanaka also castigated the govt for being insensitive and more..

Dec 26 (FT) Three Sri Lankans were reportedly killed due to a fire which occurred in a house in South Auckland, New Zealand. However, the reason for the fire has yet to be ascertained. Incident has occurred at around 3:25 a.m. Fire Service Manager Scott Osmond reported that six people were inside the house when the fire broke. Refugee Council of NZ member Kailesh Thanabalasingham survived the fire but his 5-year-old son, 39-year-old wife and 66-year-old mother-in-law died. more..

Dec 26 (CT) JVP has demanded that the govt immediately take action to solve the severe drinking water problem, faced by the people of Bandarawela, due to the prevailing severe drought. People who have been affected by Uma Oya project say that 500 litres of water provided to a family every 10 days is insufficient. JVP Uva PC member Samantha Vidyaratna said all water resources except Uma Oya have dried up. more..

Dec 26 (AT) An unknown person molested a Sri Lankan lady inside the lift of a building in Farwaniya area. The suspect escaped after the incident. Apparently, the lady was boarding the lift to her apartment when the stranger dressed in sports clothes joined her. To her surprise, the man touched and fondled her inside the lift, but he escaped when she called the guard of the building for help. Later on, she went to the area police station to file a complaint. A case was registered. more..