Aug 13 (Island) A resolution by 40 of the 105 UNP Provincial Councillors calling on Ranil Wickremesinghe to relinquish the party leadership, while continuing as Opposition Leader was adopted at a meeting chaired by Sajith Premadasa in Colombo yesterday. Informed sources told "The Island" that Premadasa in his address to the provincial legislators had said that they were respectfully asking Wickremesinghe to quit as head of the party, in favour of Karu Jayasuriya. more..

Aug 13 (Island) While the country is swamped with ever increasing number of vehicles with no curtailing of their imports, the authorities have yet to install proper air quality testing equipment to monitor the harm they are doing to the quality of air we breathe, concerned environmentalists complain. They said the sole machine that is operational for the purpose sited in front of the Fort Railway Station only measures the particulate matter in more..

Aug 13 (Island) Two schools damaged prior to 2009 have been rebuilt with funding from the Australian Govt. These schools were handed over to education authorities in Kilinochchi. The schools were constructed at a cost of Rs. 112 mn as part of a joint partnership between the Australian Govt and UNICEF together with the Ministry of Education. The Pallai Central College and Massar Primary will now provide good quality, modern facilities for nearly 2,000 children. more..

Aug 13 (Island) The Ministry of Women’s Affairs and Child Development will initiate a programme for orphans and those deprived of parental care in the North. The spokesperson for the Ministry said yesterday that the first meeting to formulate the programme was held under the patronage of the secretary of Women’s’ Affairs and Child Development Sumithra Rahubadda. She said there was a necessity at a social level to formulate a sustainable programme as more..

Aug 13 (G&M) One of them just got out of prison. Another spends his days studying English, his nights working at a gas station. A third makes pizza but dreams of some day becoming a nurse. The three Sri Lankan Tamil migrants, two men and a woman, spoke with The Globe and Mail to mark the first anniversary of their arrival in Canada onboard the MV Sun Sea. They agreed the last year was not easy. more..

Aug 13 (DN) The Police service will be changed to a people-friendly community police, Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said. The Defence Secretary was addressing a gathering at a ceremony organized to present certificates to 20 officers of the Police Life Saving Unit. The Police officers had successfully completed Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) training jointly conducted by the World Health Organization and a private organization named MEDI Limited. more..

Aug 13 (HC) The Simsbury priest charged with misdemeanor sexual assault allegedly touched an 18-year-old man's pubic area while administering confession, according to the warrant for his arrest. The Rev. Edward Warnakulasuriya was arraigned Friday in Superior Court on three counts of fourth-degree sexual assault. He said nothing during the brief hearing or as he left the courthouse. He was ordered to surrender his passport. more..

Aug 13 (DM) In a move to prevent the dreaded yellow fever entering Sri Lanka, a special Quarantine Unit has been set up at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) to monitor passengers especially those arriving from South America and Africa where this disease is rampant. The Health Ministry and Minister Maithripala Sirisena have held several rounds of talks about the risk posed by yellow fever which may be passed on by passengers arriving from these sub tropical countries. more..

Aug 14 (LT) The govt promising employment and calling for interviews and competitive examinations is carrying out a progaramme to swindle graduates says the convener of the Unemployed Graduates union Dinundu Saman Hennayake. He said despite there are 40,000 graduates without any employment the govt has not put forward any programme to find them employment. The promises made to unemployed graduates by the President and his govt that they would be found employment have become mere election promises more..

Aug 14 (LT) Anuradhapura Chief Magistrate and Additional District Magistrate Ms. Sharshika Wimalasiri has ordered to immediately arrest the chief incumbent of Mihinthale Raja Maha Viharasthanaya and bring him before Court. The Magistrate made this order when a complaint that the monk, from time to time, had sexually abused a 13 year old child was inquired into. Mihinthale Police made submissions to Court regarding this yesterday (12th) on a complaint they had received. more..

Aug 14 (ST) The mood was jubilant; the air festive as 1500 Sri Lankan youths made the Guinness World Record yesterdat for the largest human mosaic. Youths from many parts of the country gathered at the University of Colombo grounds to form the word ‘YOUTH’ and thus break the record for the largest human mosaic which previously stood at 1250. Despite the scorching sun, youths flocked to the grounds, on August 12, determined to break the record and show the world the more..

Aug 14 (LT) It is reported that all surgeries in Matara General Hospital have been stopped from today (13th). This is due to breakdown of sterilization machines that are used to sterilize equipment used in surgery. Matara Hospital has five sterilization machines but four had been broken down earlier and the fifth machine that had been used to sterile instruments broke down yesterday. As a result patients who are awaiting surgery have been immensely inconvenienced. more..

Aug 14 (AP) Australia's in-form batsman Shane Watson said Saturday he is not content with hitting half-centuries and is looking to produce some big scores in the current one-day series against Sri Lanka. As he prepared for Sunday's second ODI in the five-match series, the right-handed opening batsman said he expected Sri Lanka to try different things to dismiss him early and also raised the possibility of fast bowler Lasith Malinga's return to the side. more..

Aug 14 (NN) All leave for police officers serving in the eastern province has been cancelled from today following the violent incidents which took place in Pottuvil and Vallachenai. Trincomalee police DIG Ravindra Waidyalankara said that on the instructions of IGP N.K Illangakoon, the police leave had been cancelled in order to strengthen the security in the east. Meanwhile 16 suspects were arrested over the clashes which broke out in Pottuvil last night more..

Aug 14 (LBO) Prime land facing a lake in Colombo is being eyed by buyers from India, China as well as large local business groups that want to take part in a lakefront promenade development. "The foreign buyers are mostly from China and India," Janaka Kurukulasuriya, chairman of Sri Lanka's UDA said. The UDA has cleared 11 acres of land in front of Colombo's Beira Lake part of which earlier belonged to Colombo Commercial Company an old established firm dating back to the Colonial period. more..

Aug 14 (Hindu) President Mahinda Rajapaksa returned to Sri Lanka early on Saturday morning after a successful visit to China where he met a host of leaders, including the Chinese President Hu Jintao and the Premier Wen Jiabao. Though a non-state visit, Mr. Rajapaksa, and his team held bilateral discussions on a wide range of issues with leaders. These primarily concerned with the infrastructure development of Sri Lanka, and, support for Sri Lanka in international fora to tackle more..

Aug 14 (MN) The Sri Lankan High Commission has refuted the existence of a special agreement allowing Sri Lankan vessels to cross Maldivian territorial waters. News of such an agreement was published last week in Maldivian media after Sri Lanka’s Deputy External Minister Neomal Perera was quoted as saying such an agreement had been signed. In the Maldives, Fisheries Minister Dr Ibrahim Didi and Foreign Minister Ahmed Naseem denied such an agreement existed, while more..

Aug 14 (ES) Australia's Michael Hussey has warned his teammates that Sri Lanka are likely to come out fighting in Sunday's second ODI in Hambantota. After winning both Twenty20 games, Sri Lanka were humbled by Australia in this week's opening ODI, losing by seven wickets in Kandy. Despite the margin of victory, Hussey is adamant that the touring Australians cannot afford to take their hosts for granted. "It was very important to get off to a good start, particularly after losing both Twenty20s," more..

Aug 14 (DM) The JVP today stated that the govt together with the ministry of defence should take full responsibility with regard to the tense situation prevailing in most parts of the country. JVP MP Vijitha Herath said " The "Grease yaka" is all over the place. Over a period of a month there were reports from all over the country ranging from Mahiyangana, Kandy, Kanthale, Hatton and now the East. The police has still not been able to stop this menace which is directly affecting the peace and stability of the people living in those areas". more..

Aug 14 (DM) Leader of the SLMC and Minister Rauff Hakeem, Senior Minister A.H.M. Fowzie, Minister A. L. M Athaullah together with Senior Provincial Ministers and members of the councils held a meeting with residents of Pottuvil at the Grand Jumma Mosque in Pottuvil today. The meeting was held after the funeral of M. Maujoom a 32 year old father of three and fomer candidate for the SLMC who was shot during protests yesterday. more..

Aug 14 (NF) Minister of Child Development and Women’s Affairs Tissa Karaliyadde says that there are over 59,000 widows in the North and East, as a result of the war and various other factors. The Minister made this revelation when answering a question raised by Co-deputy leader of the UNP Sajith Premadasa in parliament. Tissa Karaliyadde: Due to the war in the East, 42,565 women turned widows. Sajith Premadasa: Isn’t there any programme in addition to the advisory program that more..

Aug 14 (PTI) A Sri Lankan national, who was on a visit here with a group, died near Varanasi, police said today. Hangalan Mudiyanselage Bandula Kahawatte, died yesterday while he along with his wife and friends was going to Varanasi from Allahabad, police said. Kahawatte came India on August 10 on a tourist visa along with a group via Chennai, they said. They were on way to Varanasi from Allahabad in a private bus when Kahawatte suddenly fell unconscious and later declared dead in hospital, more..

Aug 14 (AT) The funeral of Sri Lanka’s well known business tycoon H.K. Dharmadasa, founder of the Nawaloka Group, took place at the General Cemetery Colombo today evening. Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa paid his last respects to late Deshamanya H.K. Dharmadasa today at the Dharmadasa‘s residence in Alexandra Place, Colombo 07. Better known as Nawaloka Mudalali for decades in his Peliyagoda-based business, more..

Aug 14 (SL) The UNP’s national nominations board is to meet on Monday to discuss the nominations for the forthcoming local govt elections. UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake said the national nominations board would discuss the nominations for the local govt bodies that would go for polls in October. He said the party seniors have already met with the respective electoral organizers to brief them on the nominations. The final decision on the nominations would be made around the 20th of this month, more..

Aug 14 (LT) Indian media has revealed that an extremist group in Tamil Nadu is preparing to hoist the Indian flag in Kachchthivu island. A group of activists of Hindu Makkal in Tamil Nadu are preparing to raise the Indian flag in Kachchathivu island on the 15th. It is also reported that Tamil Nadu police has instructed Indian fishermen not to provide the extremist group with boats. The Police have informed the fishermen that legal action would be taken against anyone who supplies boats to more..

Aug 14 (IL) The Government of Sri Lanka completed the resettling of all internally displaced people (IDPs) after demining the lands earlier used by Tamil Tiger terrorists in Jaffna Peninsula. On successful completion of early resettlement, Security Forces Headquarters - Jaffna has planned to launch a Mine Risk Education and Mine Awareness programmes in each and every village for all the newly resettled families to avert any unforeseen instances of mine-related incidents. more..

Aug 14 (LG) I write in reference to the article ‘EDUCATION: Introduction to Political Philosophy’ by Professor Steven B Smith – published in Sri Lanka Guardian. In his first lesson, Professor Smith says, ‘In one sense, you could say political philosophy is simply a branch or what we call a subfield of the field of political science. Yes, all right. It exists alongside of other areas of political inquiry like American government, comparative politics, and international relations. more..

Aug 14 (LG) On 5th June 1980, opposition trade unions had organised a day of protest. Some of members of the present government including President Mahinda Rajapaksa supported this trade union protest. The then UNP govt of J R Jayewardene responded to this protest by letting loose goons to attack the protesters, resulting in severe injuries to many and the death of one trade unionist D Somapala, a father of five children. The above is from a letter that the Rt Revd Lakshman Wickremesinghe, more..

Aug 14 (SO) Nature has no boundaries. It never laid boundaries for countries and regions. What happens to nature in one country could affect the entire earth. All of us are siblings of the earth whether black or white, Western or Asian. Located between 6-10 degrees of the north latitude and between 80-82 degrees of the east longitude, the pearl of the Indian ocean - Sri Lanka is becoming a victim of climate change too. Scorching heat, irregular rain patterns, more..

Aug 14 (SO) Britain's flaring riots last week have shaken London to the core. The riots, which erupted in London spread like wildfire to other cities in the United Kingdom and seemed unstoppable at one stage as their law enforcement agencies battled desperately to control the unprecedented wave of riots that reached alarming proportions in next to no time. Within 72 hours, violence and looting took its toll and spread to three other major cities, Birmingham, Bristol and Liverpool. more..

Aug 14 (SL) Mahinda Rajapaksa had shown himself to be a Dale Carnegie in making friends and influencing people in the Southern regions of the country. But he has not even shown an inclination of imitating this American master guru of promoting friendship and influence in his relations with the Tamils or foreign nations. His dealings with Western leaders have been more akin to that of Muammar Gaddafi than what Dale Carnegie would have advocated. On rare instances such as on the eve of elections more..

Aug 14 (SO) Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa hails from a well-known political family of Giruwa and Magam Pattu in south Sri Lanka. He is the eldest son of former Minister D.A. Rajapaksa. In a 25 years or more political career, he has gained a reputation among the Govt an Opposition ranks as a politician who is committed to maintain parliamentary tradition and respect views expressed by MPs. His election on April 22, 2010 as the ninth Speaker of Parliament after the introduction of more..

Aug 14 (NS) The world watched aghast this week as riots broke out in London, the British capital and thousands of youth took to the streets, looting shops and setting them on fire, all seemingly over a Police shooting a few days earlier. What was even more alarming was that the riots then spread to other cities, as far as Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool, as removed as they were from the scene of the first incident, indicating that there was some social upheaval brewing in Britain for some time now. more..

Aug 14 (LB) The street riots in England and the protracted debt crisis in the United States have underscored the fact that what we have here are societies that are in the throes of deep-seated malaise. These issues are almost intractable, they strike at the heart of the system of capital — and are therefore quite scary. Clearly there is a structural collapse in both the United States and the United Kingdom where lifestyles hitherto taken for granted have come under serious threat and more..

Aug 14 (NS) I guess it all started late June when Sarinda Unanboowa was the chief guest at an award ceremony of the English Language Teaching Unit of the University of Colombo where I work part time. When Sarinda explained the whole concept of trail to a few of us, it totally fired my imagination. In addition to a small contribution that I made, I also longed to walk. But I was very busy with a lot of work, including my son’s parents’ day, so I egged my husband on to walk from more..

Aug 14 (NS) For the umpteenth week running, it is the turmoil in the opposition UNP that continues to make news - and last week was no different with new twists and turns emerging in this on-going saga. It will be recalled that the present impasse in the UNP is because the so-called ‘reformist’ group of the UNP led by Sajith Premadasa is challenging party and opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe’s credentials to lead the party, especially in the context of several heavy election defeats. more..

Aug 14 (NS) The prognostic we made in this column last week that the outcome of Tuesday’s meeting of the UNP Parliamentary group would be decisive for the future of the party came true when it unanimously adopted a resolution proposed by Sajith Premadasa and seconded by Ranjith Madduma Bandara calling for the appointment of Karu Jayasuriya as the leader of the party. UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe was taken unawares by this resolution. A highly agitated Wickremesinghe made a bid to walk out of more..

Aug 14 (TC) As I enjoy a well-deserved rest in London, having fled there because of harassment and threat of arrest, TamilNet has issued a description of my travails with inaccuracies and the claim that I have fallen out with the President. This is not surprising that when I was a candidate for Vice Chancellor of Jaffna, both Douglas Devananda and the Tamil Diaspora as represented by the New York Ilankai Tamil Sangam were campaigning against me using my Christian background and more..

Aug 14 (Island) Last week, Sajith Premadasa really put the cat among the canaries by bringing a resolution within the parliamentary group that Karu Jayasuriya should be the party leader. The fracas that ensued was heard even by outsiders thanks to the recording that was leaked to Sirasa TV. The working committee meeting to be held on Tuesday this week, also promises to be a stormy one. Despite the sound and fury however, members of the Wickremesinghe faction appear to be confident that more..

Aug 14 (LB) This will probably go down UNP history as the week in which the obdurate tendencies of Ranil Wickremesinghe plunged to impossible lows. When some of his staunchest allies including Kabeer Hashim and John Amaratunge himself at one point in time told him that Karu Jayasuriya has to be the party leader, Wickremesinghe distinguished himself by being so obdurate that he set a new standard for stubbornness. When the UNP parliamentary group met, and the issue of more..