Aug 8 (DN) Those who are talking of political appointments in the foreign service have not raised that issue with the Parliament High Posts Committee which has the responsibility of approving the persons nominated for Sri Lankan missions overseas, Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said. He said the High Posts Committee has to take the final decision with regard to the appointment of Heads of Missions to SL missions overseas though more..

Aug 8 (DM) According to the vision of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, the President and other politicians are elected by the sovereign people to be just stewards of the people’s wealth and resources for a specified term. Whether what we see today is a democratic, socialist or republican administration is a major question. Whether the elected representatives are servant leaders or just stewards of the people’s wealth and resources is the bigger question. more..

Aug 8 (DM) The UNP has consistently maintained that the opening of the floodgates of international scrutiny can be avoided only through an independent and credible local investigation to inquire into the serious allegations against the Rajapaksa regime of violations of human rights and international humanitarian law. In fact when the govt sponsored a motion against the international investigation initiated by the UNHRC on June 18, moving an amendment on behalf of the UNP, more..

Aug 8 (SL) Pakistan’s religious minorities, especially Christians and Ahmadiyya Muslims have been fleeing their country claiming that they have been constantly and continuously being victimised and subjected to violence and inhuman treatment in the hand of Muslim majority in the country. Especially since last year, Sri Lanka has been receiving an increasing number of Pakistan asylum seekers. more..

Aug 8 (Island) Local election monitoring organisations, CaFFE and PAFFREL claimed that supporters of the ruling coalition UPFA had violated election laws by holding vehicle parades and processions on Wednesday, when they handed in their nomination papers. PAFFREL Executive Director Rohana Hettiarachchi said UPFA candidates and supporters had not only engaged in unlawful vehicle parades but also more..

Aug 8 (DM) One of the leading educationists and social activists in the country, Mrs. Jezima Ismail is also the Commissioner at the Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission. She has over three decades of experience working in the education sector. She was the principal of Muslim Ladies College and later was a Chancellor at university level. She was also nominated as one of the 500 most influential Muslims in the World more..

Aug 8 (AM) The Colombo Fraud Investigation Bureau (CFIB) has filed a case against Taj Samudra hotel sequent to a complaint made by a father of four alleging that his 32-year-old unmarried son who died while performing duties at the hotel had been denied 2.1million of welfare funds owed to his son by the hotel following his death. The complainant Nandasiri Perera, a resident of Pannipitiya told CFIB that he was a father more..

Aug 8 (Island) UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday in Parliament demanded to know from the govt how much was being paid to the three member panel appointed to advise and assist the presidential commission on disappearances and missing persons. Wickremesinghe said the President had appointed a three Member Panel of Experts to advise and assist Presidential Commission into Disappearance more..

Aug 8 (ST) As drought tightens its grip in the north and east, drinking water now has to be distributed daily. Cattle lie dead on the roads. In the Yala jungle, wildlife walk long distances in search of water. “Our village is suffering from a severe shortage of drinking water. People in this area have no time to work or study because they spend the whole day in search of drinking water. Our infants are crying of thirst at night but we cannot more..

Aug 8 (CT) UNP queried in Parliament, why Magampura Mahinda Rajapaksa Port (MMRP) in Hambantota had barely made an income of Rs 1.2 billion in the four years in operation. Govt's projected annual income was Rs 15 billion. Port was built at an expenditure of Rs 250 billion. UNP MP Sujeewa Senasinghe asked cynically whether the diversion of the car carrier operation to MMRP from Colombo had yielded expected profits. more..

Aug 8 (IANS) The LTTE had a "mole" in 10 Janpath, and Rajiv Gandhi's assassination was part of a conspiracy "hatched by several influential people in faraway places", says former India's home secretary R.D. Pradhan. "Someone inside 10 Janpath provided crucial information to the mole," says Pradhan in his just released book, "My Years with Rajiv and Sonia" (Hay House India), without identifying the "mole". more..

Aug 8 (SLA) The Sri Lanka Army, taking its increased and matured professionalism to foreign shores with an urgent medical project at the request of the UN, succeeded in establishing its first-ever SRIMED Level 2 Hospital in Bor, South Sudan under the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) which has been reportedly hailed as ‘one of the fastest and well-planned projects ever seen in Mission Director’s entire UN career’. more..

Aug 8 (CG) President Mahinda Rajapaksa says the fundamental principle of justice and the rule of law by some agencies within and outside the United Nations are being violated. The President said this while addressing the Third South Asian Chief Justices Roundtable on Environmental Justice, jointly hosted by Sri Lanka and the ADB. “There must be consistency and evenness in the application of international and national laws. more..

Aug 8 (CT) The tax that the public pay to the Govt of Sri Lanka either directly or indirectly, even when one buys essential commodities like a kilo of rice, a loaf of bread, a packet of milk powder, 100 grams of sprats, 250 grams of Masoor dhal, otherwise known as red split lentils, a box of matches or a bottle of kerosene, go to keep loss making State institutions such as the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation, CEB, SriLankan Airlines, Mihin Air, Sri Lanka Railways, Sri Lanka Transport Board and the like, more..

Aug 8 (CT) The last few weeks have seen much agitation about Non-Governmental Organizations, with threats to introduce new legislation to control them more effectively. The whole exercise seemed to me absurd, since existing legislation is quite enough to prevent abuse. If it is not working, it is because the personnel involved are incompetent, and even much stronger legislation or regulation will serve no purpose unless more capable people are deployed. more..

Aug 8 (LBO) Stocks closed 0.15% higher with Distilleries gaining amid strong foreign buying. All Share Price Index closed 10.05 points higher at 6,918.23, up 0.15%. The S&P SL20 closed 11.84 points higher at 3,801.87, up 0.31%. Turnover was 1.58 billion rupees, down from 2.24 billion rupees a day earlier with 112 stocks closed positive against 84 negative. Access Engineering closed 50 cents higher at 27.50 rupees with an off-market transaction of 62.64 million rupees changing more..

Aug 8 (AM) The govt has decided to expand the capacity of the electricity distribution grid currently under the Lanka Electricity Company (LECO). The project to improve capacity of the grid is to cost Rs 2164.3 million. The proposal put forward to this effect by Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi has been given Cabinet approval. Interestingly, this comes at the backdrop where the CEB and its subsidiaries have been under fire for financial mismanagement which has seen those entities incurring more..

Aug 8 (Guardian) Police in Northern Ireland organised a meeting between British officials and a Sri Lankan military adviser a month after the massacre of tens of thousands of Tamil civilians in Sri Lanka, it has emerged – but no minutes were taken about what was discussed. The Northern Ireland Policing Board, which scrutinises the running of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, has confirmed that it arranged the talks between more..

Aug 8 (Island) The Court of Appeal recently affirmed the conviction of murder and the sentence of death imposed by the High Court of Hambantota on accused appellant soldier, Nihal Kumara, who had shot and killed Dr. (Mrs.) Lakshmi Indunil attached to the Badagiriya Hospital. The shooting occurred on September 29, 2008, at a dispensary located in a section of the official quarters occupied by the doctor. The victim had lived there with her father and mother. more..

Aug 8 (AD) A 32-year old mother, who is said to have sold her six-month old child, has been arrested, along with another woman who had made the purchase, by the Sapugaskanda police. The selling price was said to be Rs 30,000. According to the police, the child was born in the Gampaha General Hospital in February. The infant was sold to the woman who is a resident of Makola, Kiribathgoda, last week. Both suspects are currently detained at Mahara Magistrate’s Court, more..

Aug 8 (SM) The country and the people are subjected to a serious international jeopardy due to the improper operation of country’s foreign service says the Leader of the JVP Anura Dissanayaka moving an adjournment motion in Parliament on August 6. He said 35 out of the 49 diplomats appointed to represent Sri Lanka are political appointees. In addition to relatives and party sympathizers, former girl friends of powerful more..

Aug 8 (Island) SriLankan Airlines (SLA), has successfully deployed Oracle iProcurement to streamline employee ordering while enforcing a companywide approved purchasing policy in order to slash procurement cost. Prior to deployment of Oracle iProcurement, a module of Oracle E-Business Suite R12, SLA was facing challenges to ensure end-to-end work flow as requisitions from user departments were being handled manually and there were no automated budgeting controls more..

Aug 8 (Island) Chandra (Sandra) Nishani has arrived in Sri Lanka from Holland after 28 years hoping to find her mother Kuruwita Gamage Sumanawathie. "I hope the people of my motherland, Sri Lanka, will help me trace my mother," Sandra Nishani said in Kandy. "According to documents available with my parents in Holland, I was born at the Anuradhapura hospital on Sept. 13, 1985 and my mother Kuruwita Gamage Sumanawathie was born at Wariyapola in Kurunegala on July 15 1963. more..

Aug 8 (CI) It rained water and milestones in Galle on the third afternoon. Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene came together for their 18th century partnership in Tests, moving two short of the record of 20 set by Dravid and Tendulkar. Sangakkara made his 37th hundred, Jayawardene his 49th fifty. It was Sangakkara's 10th century against Pakistan, making him the 7th batsman to do so against a team. more..

Aug 8 (Island) A gang of armed robbers who entered a temple in the Kaltota police area in the early hours of yesterday made off with a copper Buddha statue, a telephone and ancient Ola leaf manuscripts. SSP Ajith Rohana said that the suspects had trussed up five monks of Sri Sudharshana Rajamaha Viharaya, Puhulyaya before making good their escape. Monks had not identified the suspects and the chief incumbent had not been there at the time as he resided in another temple adjacent to it. more..

Aug 8 (GDI) Govt has taken steps to eradicate poverty in Sri Lanka by 2016. President Rajapaksa would seek the views and also solicit proposals from a cross section of the public including key persons in the private and state sectors, before formulating a growth oriented budget with special emphasis on helping the poor, Minister Keheliya Rambukwalle said. In keeping with the ruling UPFA’s short term goal of eliminating poverty by 2016 and long term plans for the development of more..

Aug 8 (AD) MP Thenuka Vidanagamage and his brother Uva PC election candidate Anura Vidanagamage, who allegedly threatened a Deputy Elections Commissioner, were surrendered to the Mahiyanganaya police, today morning. Two brothers were enlarged on bail after they were produced before Mahiyanganaya Magistrate, a short while ago. The suspects were released on personal bail of Rs.100,000, each. more..

Aug 8 (PTI) A group of AIADMK advocates today held a demonstration in front of the M S Swaminathan Research Foundation here, protesting the reported presence of a Sri Lankan representative in a conference organised by it. They raised slogans against Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, protesting against a derogatory article about Jayalalithaa on a Lankan defence website. Police prevented the protesters when they tried to enter the conference venue. more..

Aug 8 (Island) Consultant Medical Administrator and Director Health Education Bureau Dr. Mrs. Neelamani Hewageegana revealed that of 4.1 million schoolchildren about 205,000 (5%) did not have parents. Their parents had either died or deserted them, she said so at a media conference on account of the World Youth Day which falls on August 12. Dr. Mrs. Hewageegana said most parents in the low-income groups did not look after their school going children properly. more..

Aug 8 (FT) Amid fears of a crackdown on civil society movements, posters have emerged in Colombo Fort, announcing that at least two prominent human rights activists have puppies for sale. The actual telephone numbers of civil society activists Dr. Nimalka Fernando and Sunil Jayasekara have been displayed in the photocopied posters that have appeared outside the Fort Railway Station, Dr Fernando said. more..

Aug 8 (DN) Minister Keheliya Rambukwella yesterday said that the Police had no option other than cancelling the meeting organized by two INGOs at the Centre for Society and Religion after it was disrupted by a group of persons. "In order to maintain peace and calm, that is the only measure that Police could have taken. If not the situation might have gone out of control," he said. The minister stressed that the same method was followed by the British police too when more..

Aug 8 (HN) K. Velayudan took oaths today at the parliament for the UNP Parliamentary seat for Badulla District which was left vacant after former MP Hareen Fernando’s resignation. He took oaths before the Deputy Speaker Chandima Weerakkody. K. Velayudan contested from UNP for Badulla District in 2010 for the General Election and received 25 thousand 56 preferential votes and came 3rd in the list.

Aug 8 (LT) An agitation was held opposite the US Embassy in Colombo today by the JVP protesting against the barbaric attacks carried out against Palestinians by Israel with the support of the USA. Thousands of Palestinian unarmed civilians including children and women have been killed already due to the attacks by Israel. Many thousands have been injured and rendered homeless in Gaza. more..

Aug 8 (Island) Minister Maithripala Sirisena has accused govt officials of dowplaying the severe impact the prevailing drought had on the lives of the affected people. Polonnaruwa District had been badly hit by a severe shortage of drinking water, the minister said. Around 25% of farmers in the district were unable to obtain water for drinking purposes and cultivations. Some people had access to Parakrma Samudraya, he said at an SLFP meeting in Polonnaruwa recently. more..

Aug 8 (CC) The Justice Mukul Mudgal-led panel looking into the IPL 2013 betting and spot-fixing controversy is said to have asked the Sri Lankan CID for their help. It has been reported that an Indian player is under the scanner. The player has been named in the report which was submitted by Mudgal’s panel to the Supreme Court in February. A report in Deccan Chronicle reported that during the 2010 Asia Cup in Sri Lanka, an Indian player was accompanied by a woman for more..

Aug 8 (DM) Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) Jathika Sewaka Sangamaya Branch Secretary Ananda Palitha said an Indonesian shipping company had demanded Rs. 8.9 million from the CPC as demurrage and urged the CPC to reveal whether it was going to pay it, as it claimed earlier that such a fee would not have to be paid. “The govt earlier claimed that CPC would not have to pay a late fee and more..

Aug 8 (AM) Colombo Chief Magistrate Gihan Pilapitiya today ordered the SSP Colombo Central to take responsibility for Bar Association President Upul Jayasooriya's security. He ordered the SSP to provide security to the BASL President until the next hearing of the case on August 11. Although the Magistrate ordered Retired Major General Nanda Mallawarachchi, Secretary of the Ministry of Law and Order, to appear before court today he was not present as he was out of the country. more..

Aug 8 (USE) The U.S. Embassy welcomed Dr. Martin Perschler, Director of the State Department’s Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP), to Sri Lanka this week for a series of engagements with SL cultural heritage preservation professionals, including visits to AFCP-funded projects in Rajagala, Batticaloa, and Anuradhapura. Dr. Perschler’s visit signifies the longstanding U.S. support for preserving Sri Lanka’s unique archaeological sites & cultural heritage. more..

Aug 8 (CG) Chief Prelates in Kandy today urged the BBS not to have any differences with Ministers and to resolve their issues through dialogue. BBS General Secretary Galagodaaththe Gnanasara thero said that the request was made when the BBS met the Chief Prelates today. The BBS had met the prelates to brief them on a major conference organized by the BBS, scheduled to take place next month. more..