President tells young generation: Take up to agriculture

Daily News – By Ishara JAYAWARDENA President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday said the Government has performed an outstanding service to uplift the status of the farmer community in Sri Lanka. He stated that the people should be prepared to make the best use of country’s lands to foster future development. He added that the service carried […]



Constitutional Amendments: SC decision today

Daily News – By Sarath MALALASEKERA The Supreme Court will communicate its decision regarding the Constitutional changes to the President and Speaker today, September 1, 2010. The Bench comprising Justice Dr. Shirani A. Bandaranayake (President), Justice K. Sripavan, Justice P. A. Ratnayake PC, Justice S. I. Imam and Justice Suresh Chandra directed Attorney General President’s […]



Underworld kingpin Olcott shot dead at Minuwangoda

News Courtesy: Ada Derana A notorious underworld gangster known as Olcott has been shot dead during a scuffle with the police while being escorted from Kurunegala to Colombo, says Police media spokesman SP Prishantha Jayakody. Olcott, a person from Maligawatte said to be involved in criminal activities was arrested by the Police Special Task Force […]



EXCLUSIVE: Mervin not guilty, decides committee

News Courtesy: Ada Derana The disciplinary committee appointed by the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) to probe the incident of a Samurdhi officer being tied to a tree at Kelaniya, has decided that former Deputy Minister Mervin Silva is not guilty. The three-member committee which handed over its report to President Mahinda Rajapaksa has stated […]



Super Kings felicitates Muralitharan

HAIL MURALI:S. Venkatraghavan and CSK team owner Gurunath Meiyappan during the function to felicitate the off-spinner Chennai: Muttiah Muralitharan’s impish grin ran out of room, the lean contours of his face allowing it only so much space to spread into, as the accolades for his record-breaking feats poured in from all corners. The Sri Lankan […]



Proposed Constitutional Amendments: Unlimited presidential terms; police comm. scrapped Con. Council replaced with Advisory Committee

The Island – By Franklin R. Satyapalan (Pix – Reuters) The Cabinet yesterday unanimously approved constitutional amendments proposed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Among them is an amendment aimed at doing away with the 10-member Constitutional Council and replacing it with a five-member Constitutional Advisory Committee (CAC). The government intends to retain all independent commissions established […]



Nirupama Rao to visit Sri Lanka as special emissary

Foreign secretary Nirupama Rao will undertake a three-day visit to Sri Lanka from Monday as a special emissary of the Indian government to assess the rehabilitation of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) of Sri Lanka. Prime minister Manmohan Singh had conceded the demand of DMK president and Tamil Nadu chief minister M Karunanidhi, who wanted […]



Sri Lankan Expatriates in UAE donate Rs 3.9 million to Api Wenuwen Api Fund.

Onlanka News – By Janaka Alahapperuma (Pix by: Sudath Silva) Sri Lankan Expatriates of United Arab Emirates (UAE) donated Rs.3.9 million for ‘Api Wenuwen Api Fund’- (We for Ourselves) which is maintained by Ministry of Defence, at a ceremony with the presence of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. On behalf of the Sri Lankan Expatriates in UAE, […]



Nayana Dehigama meets President Rajapaksa with Asia-Pacific Young Entrepreneur Award

Onlanka News – By Janaka Alahapperuma (Pix by: Sudath Silva) Chairman and Managing Director of Epic Lanka Group, Nayana Dehigama was proclaimed winner of the 3rd Asia Pacific Young Entrepreneur award recently at Cinnamon Grand Hotel, Colombo. The event was organized by the Confederation of Asia Pacific Chambers of Commerce and Industry (CACCI) as a […]



Major constitutional changes next week

News Courtesy: Sunday Times There were two persons in Sri Lanka who could not contest presidential elections, declared President Mahinda Rajapaksa to a United National Party (UNP) delegation which met him at ‘Temple Trees’ last Monday. One was himself and the other was former President, Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, he said. Both are debarred from going […]



Sanga’s choice of openers upsets Jayasuriya

News Courtesy: Deccan Herald Sanath Jayasuriya questioned the wisdom of Kumar Sangakkara making his choice of batting line-up for the World Cup public, saying as skipper, Sangakkara should be more responsible about the statements he made. Sanath Jayasuriya”You can have your opinions as an individual, but when you are in a position of responsibility, you […]




I need five more, door open – President

News Courtesy: The Island President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday stated that he only needed five more members to complete the 2/3rd majority in parliament. He added that before the door was closed however now it is open for anyone who wants to join the government. President said this at the 28th annual general meeting of the […]



President Rajapaksa inaugurates the Harispattuwa Ruwanpura drinking water project.

Onlanka News – By Janaka Alahapperuma (Pix by: Chandana Perera) President Mahinda Rajapaksa has inaugurated the Ruwanpura Sevana Praja water supply and hygiene project at Werallegama, Harispattuwa on 25th August while he was in Kandy to attend the annual Esala Perahera of the Sri Dalada Maligawa. The World Bank contributed 70% of its assistance to […]



Diyawadan Nilame hands over the Perahera Sannasa to President Rajapaksa

Onlanka News – By Janaka Alahapperuma (Pix by: Sudath Silva) The annual Kandy Esala Perahera concluded yesterday with the water cutting Day Perahera parading on the streets. Diyawadana Nilame Nilanga Dela Bandara handed over the Perahera Sandeshaya (Sannasa) to President Mahinda Rajapaksa to inform the successful completion of the Kandy Esala Perahera at the President’s […]



UN shies away from query on Maj.Gen. Shavendra

News Courtesy: Ada Derana When questioned on the proposed appointment of Major General Shavendra Silva as the new Sri Lankan Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, Martin Nesirky, the spokesman for Secretary General Ban Ki-moon shied away without a definitive answer. What I want to know is, if these reports in Sri Lanka are true, […]