May 12 (Island) DIG Vaas Gunawardena now in remand custody over the killing of businessman Mohamed Shyam was admitted to a paying ward of the National Hospital on Saturday as he was suffering from diabetes, kidney ailment and stones in the bladder. Prison authorities had acceded to a request made by the family members of the former police top brass that he be allowed to seek treatment from the National Hospital. Tight security was being provided to the ward more..

May 12 (Island) Two police personnel who were alleged made to work like domestic servants in the house of a female UPFA MP, though they had been detailed to provide security to her, were transferred with immediate effect to Gampaha and Nugegoda police divisions on the orders of the IGP. Two policemen had complained to the police top brass of the harassment they suffered at the hands of the woman politician in Gampaha. "Two policemen had undergone severe mental stress," more..

May 12 (DM) Pope Francis would arrive in Sri Lanka on January 13 next year, inside sources of the Catholic Church in Colombo said yesterday. A senior official of the Church told the Daily Mirror that the Pope would arrive on January 13 as it had been finalised by the Sri Lankan Bishops who visited Vatican recently. Asked whether he was scheduled to travel to Madhu Church in Mannar he said the programme had not been finalised yet. more..

May 12 (CT) Govt Nursing Officers Union (GNOA) said it expects the Committee appointed by the Health Ministry to, within this week, solve the dispute between them and Govt Medical Officers Association (GMOA) over the midwifery training provided to the nurses. GNOA President Saman Ratnapriya said, though the nurses have decided to call off their strike, the dispute remained unresolved. "Health Ministry began providing midwifery training to nursing students from Jan 2013. more..

May 12 (Island) Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena said that President Rajapaksa, the Cabinet and Parliament had unanimously approved the printing of pictorial warnings on 80% of the display area of packets of cigarettes and had issued the gazette notification to that effect. As the tobacco industry had filed a case against the govt in the Supreme court, the whole country would be anxious to know the verdict today. Around 65 individuals between 40 and 50 years of age were dying of more..

May 12 (MoF) The second round of discussions between the leaders of the Fisheries Organizations in Sri Lanka, including the North and of the leaders of the Fisheries Organizations of the Tamil Nadu state of India, will take place in Colombo, today. These second round of discussions were to take place on 13th March last. But due to the confused state that prevailed with the Authorities of Tamil Nadu, the discussions were cancelled. more..

May 12 (DM) “Pictorial warnings covering 80% of cigarette packs: the President wants it, the Minister of Health wants it, all Members of Parliament want it, religious leaders want it, people want it, smokers want it.” The above is the wording of a poster that hit the walls of Colombo last week. There was a key rider to this: “who is stopping it?” “Who indeed?” is the question that needs to be asked. The matter has been laid up in the courts for months now. All manner of legal technicalities have been more..

May 12 (DM) Global expansion of the capitalist system over the last several decades has resulted in further uneven development across the world, in spite of recent economic growth in many non-western countries. Development leading to a higher standard of living for a majority of people has thus been the exception rather than the rule in most parts of the world. It is true that several countries outside the industrialized west have thrived economically lifting low income groups out of poverty more..

May 12 (Island) Minister Navin Dissanayake says a recent survey conducted by his ministry has found that on average a public sector employee works only about four to five hours a day. Addressing a ceremony after declaring opening a building for the Panduwasnuwara Divisional Secretariat in Kurunegala last week, he said that the findings of the survey were very crucial as Sri Lanka had the highest ratio of more..

May 12 (SL) After the defeat of the LTTE in May 2009, the leaders of the LTTE rump attempted to replicate the organization in exile. As a segment of the Sri Lankan Tamil expatriates had spent much of lives supporting the crimes of murder, destruction and assassination by the LTTE, they were determined to not let their efforts go to waste. Driven by an ideology of vengeance, they continued the fight for the restoration of the LTTE. more..

May 12 (ST) Patients left bleeding, women nearing labour discharged, medical files, keys and vital drugs and equipment locked away or hidden – these were some of the terrible results of a week-long strike by nurses locked in overlapping disputes with midwives and doctors. The misery for patients is far from over. Most nurses are back to work in many hospitals but not all, and their union is signalling the risk of renewed strikes. more..

May 12 (Island) Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka has ordered the officials of the UDA not to use threats, intimidation and aggression to evict people when their lands are acquired for public purposes, JVP Member in the WPC Sunil Watagala said. The order had been given on May 9 in response to a petition against the forcible eviction of house owners at Bakerywatte, Colombagewatte and 188 Watte, more..

May 12 (Island) The Frontline Socialist Party (FLSP) has condemned the closure of the Jaffna University for a week starting from today and the government’s alleged ban on any programmes to commemorate the LTTE cadres killed during the North East conflict. The politburo of the FLSP, said that banning of commemorations had been effected on the grounds that such programmes would be detrimental to the ethnic harmony more..

May 12 (AD) Former North-Western Provincial Council member, Ananda Sarath Kumara, who forced a female school teacher to kneel before him, was sentenced to 2 years Rigorous Imprisonment suspended for 7 years by the Puttalam High Court today. Delivering the verdict today, High Court Judge Priyantha Fernanado also ordered the defendant to pay a fine of Rs 50,000 and Rs 300,000 in compensation more..

May 12 (CG) President Rajapaksa has told a group of new foreign Ambassadors assigned to Sri Lanka to travel in Sri Lanka, speak to people from various sectors, learn the true ground reality and report the truth about Sri Lanka back to their countries. President’s office said that Felix Ngoma, Ambassador of Congo (Resident – New Delhi), Raul Ignacio Guastavino, Ambassador of Argentina (Resident – New Delhi), more..

May 12 (AD) A member of the Peliyagoda Urban Council, Chamila Sandaruwan, has been found shot dead inside his car at Tyre Corporation Junction in Dalugama, Kelaniya this morning. UPFA member was reportedly shot several times by an unknown gunman while he was driving the vehicle which had later crashed into a wall in the roadside following the shooting. The deceased, a 23-year-old resident of Peliyagoda, was elected to more..

May 12 (FMPRC) From May 6 to 8, the negotiation of the Treaty between China and Sri Lanka on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters was held in Beijing. The Chinese delegation consisted of representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Supreme People's Court, the Supreme People's Procuratorate, the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Justice with Sun Ang as the head who is special coordinator more..

Mar 12 (DM) Despite the parliament green light for the gazette endorsing a pictorial warning covering 80% of the cigarette packet, the Appeal Court delivering its judgement today informed Health Ministry only 50-60% could be given for the warning. The Court also directed the petitioner Ceylon Tobacco Company to use only 40% of the surface area for its trade marks. Bench comprising Justices Anil Gooneratne and more..

May 12 (Island) The TNA has aggravated the Opposition’s woes by asking it to consider the suitability of Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran as the next common presidential candidate. It has echoed a view expressed in a recent newspaper article, but the fact remains that it is an adroit move on the part of the main Tamil political party. However, the TNA has not sought to scuttle efforts being made in some quarters to find a common presidential candidate. more..

May 12 (CT) Today anti-Minority campaigns are rampant in Sri Lanka, and the responsible religio-political leaders remain silent. Thus, it is pivotal to understand the rudimentary political ground realities in the island. Hence, to understand this dilemma of violent non-state-actors aggressive role towards minority, and the given response of political representatives of Muslim community is much fitting to focus. The political behavior of SLMC is extraordinarily significant in more..

May 12 (Island) Higher Education Minister S. B. Dissanayake yesterday said that there were some political extremists behind rain accidents and robberies and they must be nabbed. Dissanayake said when the suspects were interrogated they had confessed to those crimes, but they were mere pawns, as politically organised and motivated groups were actually behind them. Their motive is to discredit the govt, the Minister said. The state intelligence units were keeping a close tab on them,

May 12 (Island) UPFA constituent the NFF called on the govt to reduce powdered milk prices as it had come down in price in the world market. NFF leader and Minister Wimal Weerawansa said that a tonne of powdered milk in the world market had dropped to USD 3,873 US from USD 5,200 on May 06. He said that milk powder importing companies sought a price increase in Sri Lanka citing high world market price three months back and the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) had allowed them to more..

May 12 (CT) The Council of Legal Education is said to have decided to introduce an age limit for entry to the legal profession of Sri Lanka. Accordingly, the students of over 30 years of age who have completed the LLB degree and expect to sit for the Attorney-at-Law final examination of the Law College may not be able to do so after 2014. Upper ceiling of age for the Law College Entrance is also 30 years now. more..

May 12 (LBO) Stocks closed higher for the fourth consecutive day with diversified and hotel stocks gaining. All Share Price Index closed 18.29 points higher at 6,303.16 up 0.29%. The S&P SL20 closed 23.65 points higher at 3,480.91, up 0.68%. Turnover was 866.48 million rupees, down from 7.14 billion rupees last Friday with 100 stocks close positive against 90 negative. Chevron Lubricants Lanka closed 4.80 rupees higher at 276.50 rupees with two off market transactions of 96.60 million more..

Mar 12 (LBO) Hong Kong based CLSA investment group has bought a 25 percent stake in Colombo based CT Smith Holdings Ltd in a bid to better sell Sri Lanka to frontier market investors, officials said. Donald Skinner, Global Chief Operating Officer of CLSA (Credit Lyonnais Securities Asia) said a long standing relationship between the two firms has been deepened with the purchase of an equity stake. The joint venture will focus on investors from the US that want to get into frontier markets, more..

May 12 (IL) The historic landmark of the “Korea–Sri Lanka Mahaviharaya”, the first-ever Sri Lankan Buddhist temple in South Korea, was ceremonially inaugurated in the city of Pyeongtaek, situated about 80 km away from the capital city of Seoul, on 4th May. The foundation stone laying ceremony was held with the participation of a large number of representatives from Sri Lankan and Korean communities, more..

May 12 (Reuters) The Sri Lankan rupee traded firmer on Monday at its highest level in more than six months on stock-related inflows, though one of the two state banks bought dollars at 130.35 rupees to prevent further appreciation in the local currency. The rupee was at 130.35/37 per dollar, its highest since Oct. 25, 2013, at 0631 GMT, firmer from Friday's close of 130.42/44. It has gained 0.19% in the last three sessions through Monday. "The rupee is in the appreciation trend. more..

Mar 12 (Island) Today every individual uses a smartphone for a myriad of personal requirements while businesspeople engage in mobile computing to plan and organize activities of their organizations, and all these are done at an increasing cost of harmful snooping, spying, espionage and even sabotage, Seguro Consultoria Director Sujit Christy said in Colombo last Thursday. He said so at a forum of Sri Lanka Association for Software and Service Companies (SLASSCOM), more..

Mar 12 (PTI) Tata group's realty firm Tata Housing today announced its foray into Sri Lanka with an investment of over USD 400 million to develop a township project at Colombo. The project will be developed in partnership with UDA of Sri Lanka. Tata Housing, a subsidiary of Tata Sons, had already ventured into the Maldives with a real estate project. The Colombo project is mixed use township. more..

Mar 12 (Island) Colombo Courtyard has been informed that it is amongst the winning companies of the prestigious International Property Awards in the 2014 Asia Pacific regional competition. Colombo Courtyard competed against a number of interior designers in the region to receive this recognition. Successful entrants have been invited to attend a high-profile gala presentation dinner at the Shangri-La Hotel in Kuala Lumpur on May 9th where the official announcements will be made more..

Mar 12 (AN) For Sister Angela Fernando, the mission she undertook among the victims of Sri Lanka's civil war in Sri Lana means "allowing everyone to experience the great love of God and Mary." Next Thursday, the nun from the Congregation of the Good Shepherd will celebrate her 80th birthday. However, the past few years have been the most "intense" in her life, she said. Her mission, which frequently brought her to northern Sri Lanka, especially to the district of Mullaithivu, more..

Mar 12 (DM) Despite repeated denials about the Central Bank’s involvement in the controversial hedging deal, it had paid as much as Rs. 480 million as lawyers’ fees in respect of the transaction referred to the international arbitration panels, the Daily Mirror learns. The Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) discussed the financial reports of the Central Bank last week at its meeting conducted in the parliamentary complex. more..

Mar 12 (SM) Girlfriend of murdered British national Khuram Shaikh's girlfriend - Victoria Alexandrovna might not remember being raped as she was unconscious when the incident took place, Dr. Dhammi Lewishewa of the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital said. The doctor was speaking when the murder case of British national Khuram Shaikh was taken up today before Colombo High Court judge. Dr. Dhammi said the vicious bite marks on Victoria's breasts reveal details of the rape. more..

Mar 12 (CG) Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) conducted raids on stores in Pettah selling Buddhist flags and seized flags printed with the wrong colors. A spokesman said that 60,000 flags were seized following a raid conducted at People’s Park in Pettah today. The spokesman said that investigations have now been launched to locate the individual or institution involved in printing the flags. The flags being sold for Vesak had not only been found to have the wrong colors but some were also more..

Mar 12 (AD) Minister Rajitha Senaratne today urged trade unions to refrain from opposing the union rights of other professions, in reference to the ongoing tug-of-war between doctors’ union and nurses’ unions over the midwifery training and the four-year Allied Health Sciences (AHS) degree issues. He said doctors should not oppose the four-year AHS degree and that in other countries nurses undergo a 4-year course. more..

Mar 12 (AD) A man has reportedly stabbed and killed his wife with a sharp object, for allegedly enlisting in the army, before committing suicide himself in the Wallipunam area in Mullaitivu. The murdered woman had recently enlisted in the Sri Lanka Army despite strong objections from her husband, which had led to countless arguments and squabbles between the two. However, last evening while the woman had returned home on leave, the husband had stabbed her to death with more..

Mar 12 (SM) An investigation conducted by the Auditor General has revealed that 76 film producers have not repaid loans they have obtained from state banks. The amount of loans thus obtained from the banks within a period of 15 years is amounted as Rs 62.6 million. The report has further revealed that state banks have not taken any measures to recover the loans provided for 38 private institutes for the past 10 years and that the loans amount to a massive Rs 139,409,458. more..

Mar 12 (CG) The two priests over who suspicion has been raised in connection with the death of a young girl in Jaffna, testified in court today. When the case into the death of Jeron Consoleeta was taken up at the Jaffna court for hearing today the two priests were asked to appear and testify. The judge later postponed the hearing to next month. Following the death of Jeron Consoleeta, a Tamil girl from Jaffna, more..

May 12 (AD) Minister Kumara Welgama assures that train services will return to normal from this evening, as per an agreement reached with railway trade unions. The unions have agreed to work according to routine operations until the differences and problems between train schedules and speed limits are resolved, he told reporters today. Locomotive drivers have been engaged in work-to-rule action for several days resulting in the continuous delays of several trains. more..