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 […]

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 […]

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, […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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, […]

Daily News – By Shirley WIJESINGHE The withdrawal of the General System of Preference Plus (GSP+) facility by the European Union has not led to the closure of a single factory in Sri Lanka or retrenchment any factory worker, Economic Development Deputy Minister LakshmanYapa Abeywardena said. It is also confirmed by the existing job opportunities […]

As directed by the President Mahinda Rajapaksa, a 16 Member Sri Lankan Medical Team arrived in Pakistan, with a cargo of medicine and surgical equipment, on a medical relief mission for the flood affected victims of Pakistan. The Medical Team has been treating the flood affected patients in the Charsadda District Hospital in North West […]

News Courtesy: Ada Derana Police have blocked a protest march organized by monks against the animal slaughter due to take place at the Munneswaram Kovil in Chilaw. Chilaw DIG Sanganayaka speaking to Ada Derana said that the police blocked the protestors due to a court order received by them. […]

Daily News – By Chaminda Perera The Health Ministry as a pilot project will utilize the much awaited locally produced BTI bacteria in the dengue control campaign in pre-identified locations in the Colombo district this week. The Ministry will purchase 400 litres of BTI bacteria initially and further purchases will be made on the success […]

Onlanka News – By Janaka Alahapperuma (Pix by: Sudath Silva) President Mahinda Rajapaksa met an opposition delegation lead by Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe at Temple Trees this afternoon on 23rd August. The Opposition delegation also included Tissa Attanayake, Laxman Kiriella and Joseph Michael Perera from the UNP and Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) leader Rauff […]