Nov 23 (LT) The employees of SLTB depot at Alawwa have been engaged in a strike action since yesterday. The strike action is carried out against the failure of authorities to pay the salaries of three months. The employees say they were not paid their salaries for the months of Sept, Oct and Nov. The employees have detained for several hours the SLTB Manager for North – Western province and officials who had gone to the more..

Nov 23 (CT) The Impeachment Motion against the Chief Justice, referred to the Parliamentary Select Committee (PCS), may not have aroused much of a hue and cry among the local public, but it is certainly creating waves in the international seas of jurisprudence and justice. The appalling apathy shown by the opposition with regard to the entire process, and its colossal failure to inform and educate the public on the real issues involved in the govt’s blatant attempt at intervening in more..

Nov 23 (Reuters) Sri Lankan stocks ended steady on Friday as investors largely stayed on the sidelines with higher interest rates putting a damper on trade and block deals pushing turnover. The Colombo Stock Exchange's main index ended just 0.01 percent, or 0.46 points, up at 5,406.65. Analysts said investors had been moving in to fixed deposits from equities after the central bank kept key policy rates at three-year highs after the market closed on Friday. more..

Nov 23 (SM) After concluding a three-day official visit to Kazakhstan, president Mahinda Rajapaksa has left for the US. Yesterday (22), he visited prime minister D.M. Jayaratne, who is receiving treatment at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, said the president’s media unit. Chief of the presidential staff Gamini Senarath and MP Sajin Vaas Gunawardena had already been in the US when the president more..

Nov 23 (Island) "Every citizen of this country is entitled to certain judicial remedies to their issues. But in terms of the J. R. Jayewardene administration-initiated Parliamentary Standing Orders and the Constitution we have today, there are 23 very unfortunate persons in this country currently. They are the 11 Supreme Court judges and the 12 Court of Appeal judges. These 23 unfortunate people have no judicial remedies," well known constitutional lawyer Dr. Jayampathy Wickremeratne said. more..

Nov 23 (DM) L.H. Chandrasiri, the brother of the main suspect in some of the killings at Kotakethana, was booed and jeered by an angry crowd of more than 500, when he visited the residence of his brother the Pradeshiya Sabha Member L.H. Dharmasiri. The villagers surrounded the house on seeing the suspect’s elder brother and his wife entering the house, which had been kept closed after the arrest and remand of the PS member. The army, STF and the police were deployed to more..

Nov 23 (GDI) The National Health Services Action Plan for the next five years has been formulated. The plan is made under the framework of the national Health Policy and it will be announced by the President on the 10th of next month. This was stated by the Minister of Health Maithripala Sirisena participated in the 3rd reading debate of the votes of the Ministry of Health in the Parliament yesterday. He said that the number of dengue deaths more..

Nov 23 (DN) President Mahinda Rajapaksa concluded his three day official visit to Kazakhstan on a highly successful note bringing many economic and political dividends to Sri Lanka. The three day visit helped clinch many economic benefits in the tourism, investment and trade sectors in particular, a communique issued by the President’s Media division said yesterday. The highlights included the obtaining of a larger share of the Kazakhstan market for Sri Lanka tea, more..

Nov 23 (Island) It was the bounden duty of all public servants to reply all letters forwarded to them, by the public, seeking their assistance. Public officers were appointed to serve the public, observed Kandy District Secretary and Govt Agent H. M. Gamini Seneviratne. He was responding to complaints by some farmers at meeting with representatives of the farmers’ organisations of Minipe, held to discuss the arrangements for the forthcoming cultivation season. Among the representatives of Agricultural more..

Nov 23 (AFP) A Sri Lankan court Friday fined a Russian couple around 1.2 million rupees ($9,230) for illegally collecting endangered orchids and other exotic flora, obstructing wildlife officials and attacking a cameraman. A magistrate at Ratnapura, just outside the highly protected Sinharaja rainforest region, found the couple guilty of holding 345 exotic plants representing 32 species on an endangered list. more..

Nov 24 (DM) BOXING was a very popular sport about ten decades ago and it was known as a scientific art of self defence, but it has been gradually losing its popularity, especially during the last four or five decades. The main reason for this is the damage being done to the brain due to blows to the head. Similar injuries to the brain could occur in many other contact games, but these games have not become unpopular as appropriate protective measures are taken to prevent more..

Nov 24 (DBS) Celina Cramer participated at the French-Sri Lankan Diaspora Youth Workshop “Post-War Reconciliation Dialogue for a Sustainable Peace”, which took place in Paris, on October 27th, 2012. She intervened as a panelist on the theme “Individual and collective identity(ies): between search and struggle”. The event was organized by What’s Next!, an independent forum comprising of post-graduates and young professionals of Sri Lankan origin residing in France. more..

Nov 24 (SO) The gem industry has been a highly lucrative and popular industry in the island since the distant past and it still is. Generally, the Ratnapura district maintains an international fame as one of the biggest treasures of Asia's gems and still stays unsurpassed as the producer of priceless gems of Sri Lanka. However, the gemstones that Sri Lanka has treasured in her bosom are priceless, unique and irreplaceable. more..

Nov 24 (GV) Speaking about the capacity that art may have to contribute to a social achievement like building sustainable peace or national reconciliation goes somewhat against the tide of the Western contemporary art. This approach could easily be perceived as naïve in the context of today’s contemporary art whose only defining criteria seems to be its degree of transgression. I think this situation is a result of an art that I would like to define as “reflexive”. What do I mean by “reflexive art”? more..

Nov 24 (CT) From the beginning of the executive presidential system, the most important threat to it was perceived to be the judiciary. With a four fifths majority in parliament, J.R. Jayawardene, the UNP leader, made sure that all his party members in the legislature surrendered their rights to him. He got this through undated letters of resignation he took from everyone except for a few who refused to comply. He was therefore certain that there would be no challenge to his authority more..

Nov 24 (DBS) SLFP organiser for the Batticaloa District Arun Tambimuttu like his late father, assassinated TULF MP Sam Tambimuttu stands up for his convictions and does not mince his words when he says that the 13th Amendment and the provincial councils need to go as the time has come to evolve a more practical system of devolution and administration in their place. He notes that the British who devised the more..

Nov 24 (CT) Sarath N. Silva was never guilty of attempting to conceal his arrogant conviction that no individual or body of persons could possibly have any right to call in question or inquire into his conduct, both personal and official. In a clear attempt to prevent any inquiry into his alleged misdeeds, for which he has never shown any remorse, in June 2001 Sarath N. Silva’s Supreme Court made order restraining the Speaker from even entertaining the impeachment motion more..

Nov 24 (CT) The Minister for Economic Development in presenting Divineguma Bill to the Parliament tried to portray the govt’s effort to economic development as a ‘second war’, the first was the one waged against ‘terrorism’ i.e. the LTTE insurgency. The phrase ‘the war for development’ or ‘the developmental war’ sounds paradoxical. ‘Development’ is generally depicted as something ‘good’ while ‘war’ is portrayed as something essentially bad. Immanuel Wallerstein more..

Nov 24 (CT) It is a tale as old as human civilization itself – the tale of sanitation and disposal, when humans finally ‘settled’ in once place. They were not the only things that settled unfortunately; the tale of how humanity has been trying to dispose of its excretory ‘waste’ is an ongoing one with many fascinating twists and turns along the way. It is a tale that has by no means ended. Apparently the Indus valley more..

Nov 24 (ST) Sri Lanka’s pedestrians will now have to watch their step as the traffic police of Colombo city and suburban areas has been implementing a drive against jay-walkers to bring a semblance of sanity to the traffic on the city’s roads. But the manner in whic they were caught and produced before the Colombo Traffic Court and the agony they had to undergo at the court room for over four hours to pay the Rs.1000-Rs. 3500 fine for the offence was unbearable, many offenders complained. more..

Nov 24 (LT) An agitation organized by the Palestine Solidarity Foundation was held opposite Dawatagaha Mosque today (23rd) to protest against the missile attacks by Zionists on the Gaza Strip and Israel becoming a puppet of US imperialists. Members of the Central Committee of the JVP MP Sunil Handunneththi, Lakshman Nipunarachchi, the President of Inter Company Employees’ Union Wasanthe Samarasinghe and PC Member of the UNP Mujiber Ahamed participated. more..

Nov 24 (ST) Five years after the Indian woman took cover under the “amante” appeal the Sri Lankan woman is left to be enticed by MAS Holdings’ own brand label. The perfectly fitted bra is fashioned out of about 40 components that go into the making of a bra with care using the hands of around 150 machine operators diligently sewing the seams in the backdrop of an incessant stitching noise telling you that anothr lingerie product more..

Nov 24 (Island) Several tragic accidents involving schoolchildren have been reported during the past few days. In Chilaw two schoolgirls fell off the footboard of a fast moving crowed bus early this week when other passengers pushed and shoved. One of them succumbed to her injuries in hospital. In Nawalapitiya, a schoolboy died after being knocked down by a tipper truck on a pedestrian crossing. In Mt. Lavinia on Thursday a little boy was seriously injured when a school van with a faulty more..

Nov 24 (Island) The misguided attempt by the Govt to impeach Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake seems to have finally awakened the conscience of our people. For far too long, we have succumbed to gross assaults on the rights of the citizens by lapping up tales of threats from the rump of the LTTE, from the Tamil diaspora and an international community trying to destablise our country. Even today, the state media reports of the Professser of Law of the University of Colombo, more..

Nov 24 (Island) A total of seven new meet records were lowered at yesterday’s events of the Athletics Championship of the 24th National Youth Sports Festival at the Sugathadasa Stadium, but none could lower a national record. The organizers are offering a motor car to the first athlete who breaks a national record at the Youth Sports Festival. Some of the leading national athletes who were competing in the over 20 age category (up to 29 years of age) pushed hard for national marks but more..

Nov 24 (CI) In the 82 years since New Zealand became a Test-playing nation, they have only once lost six Tests in a row. After the loss in Galle that marks New Zealand's worst streak since 1955, talkback radio at home has been ablaze with acerbic denunciations, and the resounding suggestion that this side is the worst the country has ever produced. If they fail once more in the second Test starting in Colombo on Sunday, New Zealand will be without a defence. They are on a precipice more..

Nov 24 (HCI) On an invitation extended by the Ministry of Defence and Urban Development, of Sri Lanka, Ashok K Kantha, High Commissioner of India, addressed the students and faculty of Defence Services Command and Staff College on the theme "India´s Foreign and Defence Policies" on 22 November 2012. The High Commissioner was cordially welcomed by Major General JC Rambukpotha, Commandant more..

Nov 24 (DN) A disabled former LTTE cadre named Sunderalingam Sudharshan married his sweetheart and former LTTE woman cadre Chittampalam Priyadharshani of Mullaitivu at a ceremony at the Punthotam Rehabilitation Camp Vavuniya yesterday witnessed by Rehabilitation and Prison Reforms Minister Chandrasiri Gajadeera and ministry officials. The couple arrested by the TID earlier, had fallen in love while being held at the Boossa Camp. Sudharshan who had been earlier more..

Nov 24 (DN) The entire world should admire Sri Lanka's HIV/AIDS control effort which kept the country's HIV/AIDS prevalence rate at 0.1 during the past 25 years, UNAIDS Regional Support Team for Asia and the Pacific Director Steve Kraus said. Kraus said no other country was able to achieve this and praised Sri Lanka's STD Control Programme. He was on a two day tour of Sri Lanka to inspect Sri Lanka's HIV/AIDS control programme implementation and progress. more..

Nov 24 (PTI) A local court today closed a criminal charge filed against slain LTTE chief Prabhakaran, pending before it for many years. The VII Additional Sessions Judge (In charge) Kaliamoorthy declared the charge as "abated," following the Crime Branch-CID request to close it on the ground that Prabhakaran's body was recovered from the Nandikadal area of Sri Lanka in 2009. According to police, Prabhakaran and his associate more..

Nov 24 (Island) The Kandy Bar Association, at an Emergency Executive Committee meeting yesterday, resolved unanimously to urge the Bar Association of Sri Lanka to take an unwavering stand in support of Chief Justice Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake and against the move to impeach her. The emergency session of the Executive Committee was chaired by KBA president, Attorney-at-Law Upali Bogahapitiya. The resolution adopted unanimously stated, "The Kandy Bar more..

Nov 24 (Island) Colombo District Judge Amal Ranaraja yesterday granted an interim injunction, in favour of Minister Mohanlal Grero, restraining the UNP Executive Committee from suspending his party membership for having voted with the govt, at the recent budget debate. The Interim Injunction is valid till the Court arrives at a final determination on Grero s application for a Permanent Injunction. Grero had said that he was not given time to file answer in respect of the charges levelled more..

Nov 24 (Island) Contradictory positions were taken by Petroleum Minister Susil Premajayanth and Attorney General Palitha Fernando on the US $ 60 million hedging award to Deutsche Bank against Sri Lanka. Minister Premajayath said that the govt would shortly appeal to the United States-based three-member panel of arbitrators against the liability, of the govt of Sri Lanka, of US $ 60 million and have the award annulled in full. more..

Nov 24 (DN) Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa yesterday instructed all MPs to stand up in the House when the Mace is carried in and out of the Chamber. Making an announcement, he said MPs should honour and respect the Mace which symbolised the dignity and decorum of the House. Honouring the Mace is a tradition which had been maintained since time immemorial and all MPs are bound to follow that tradition. “I have noticed that schoolchildren in the public gallery observe the more..

Nov 24 (DNA) Two Sri Lankan nationals, undergoing life imprisonment in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, have filed habeas corpus pleas in the Madras High Court,challenging their incarceration, after completing 20 years in prison. In their separate petitions, B Robert Payas and S Jayakumar contended that their detention in prison beyond 20 years was illegal and violative of their fundamental right under article 21 of the Constitution of India. The life convicts, presently serving more..

Nov 24 (Island) The govt had launched a project to reduce elephant-human conflict and minimise the harm caused by wild elephants, Deputy Minister S. M. Chnandrasena said. Establishing four new Elephant Detention Centres (EDC) for orphaned calves and juveniles would be the main focus of the programme, he said. Chandrasena said the construction of the EDC in Horowpathana, ecncompassing an area of more..

Nov 24 (CT) The National Transport Commission (NTC) is to conduct workshops for drivers in the Western Province, to make them aware of the Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) camera system and traffic laws. The NTC will conduct two workshops for bus drivers, bus owners, three-wheeler drivers and school van drivers of the Kalutara and Colombo Districts, under the theme of preventing road accidents. Drivers will be educated on the importance of following traffic more..

Nov 24 (FT) The Perceived Economic Opportunity Index (PEOI) continued its slide that started at the beginning of this year registering 1.69 for October; down 0.05 from September. Index compiler the Foundation for Economic Freedom in Sri Lanka said policy makers should take note that not only the PEOI has been languishing in the ‘relatively pessimistic’ territory since its inception in July 2011 but moving away steadily from the midpoint of 2.0. Segmenting the index components shows more..

Nov 24 (Independent) For a 28-year old backbench Tory MP it was a highlight of his young political career. James Wharton beamed for the camera as he accepted a ceremonial plate from the Sri Lanka Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa. Wharton was the head of a delegation of nine UK MPs on a journey to the South Asian nation in July and August of this year as guests of the Sri Lanka govt – which is anxious to improve its more..