Lanka News – Lanka Gazette – Sri Lanka News Portal

Chennai: After mega star Amitabh Bachchan and film direct Mani Ratnam, it is actor Kamal Haasan who is now the target of pro-Lankan Tamil groups on the IIFA Awards 2010 issue.

Kamal Haasan, who had earlier refused the invitation to participate in the upcoming IIFA extravaganza in Colombo, said on Sunday he would not return his Padma Shri award. Continue Reading

Full text of proposed reforms inside

Chairman of the Committee, Joseph Michael Perera addressing a news conference in Colombo said that UNPers, especially elected representatives in the local and provincial councils, would be given four days to study and submit their views, if any, on his committee’s recommendations. Continue Reading

Deputy Minister of Highways, Mervyn Silva, is doing a yeoman service to the people of Kelaniya. Their houses and business establishments were under water due to the heavy rains experienced in the past few days.

The Deputy Minister together with officials and people from the area buckled down to cleaning up all the canals that were blocked and over flowing.

A spokesman for the stores of a leading tea company in Wedamulla told The Island on Thursday that due to Deputy Minister Mervyn Silva’s labour of love, the people of the area are now relieved. He said that water is now receding and people could get about their normal work soon. Continue Reading

The government has re-imposed taxes on food items, waived in the run-up to this year’s presidential and parliamentary polls.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Co-operatives and Internal Trade told The Island that government was compelled to reintroduce taxes on several consumer items owing to increases in prices in the international market. Continue Reading

KANDY – Media and Information Minister Keheliya Rambu-kwella told journalists of the Central Province that he would not get a puffed head over his appointment.

“I do not want to be called a swollen-headed person,” he said.

“I was for four years the Defence media spokesman an office entrusted to me by President Mahinda Rajapaksa,” the Minister said. Continue Reading

Ten old boys of Trinity College, Kandy, who were elected to Parliament last month and a Governor were felicitated at a ceremony at the College Hall on Friday (May 14).

They included Dr. Sarath Amunugama, Professor Tissa Vitharana, Professor Rajiv Wijesinghe,

Kanaka Herath, Lohan Ratwatte, R. Yogarajah, Wasantha Aluvihare, Neranjan Wickremeasinghe, Kabir Hashim, Sujeewa Senasinghe and Governor of the Central Provincial Council, Tikiri Kobbekaduwa. Continue Reading

The report of the six-member Political Reforms Committee of the UNP is to be handed over to the party’s Working Committee on Monday (May 17), while some of the senior UNP MPs were of the opinion

that Ranil Wickremesinghe should continue as leader till next year’s Party Convention. They also said that Sajith Premadasa, Hambantota District MP, should be made Deputy Leader until he gained enough experience to lead the party. Continue Reading

National Freedom Front (NFF) leader Housing and Common Amenities Minister Wimal Weerawansa says proposed far reaching constitutional changes are likely to be implemented on a staggered basis. The 17th Amendment to the Constitution and executive presidential powers and privileges will be dealt with first of all. Continue Reading

Considers accused a special person who won the war

Colombo Chief Magistrate Champa Janaki Rajaratne yesterday allowed a defence application to hold former Army Commander General (Retd) Sarath Fonseka in Army custody till May 26.

General (retd) Fonseka was produced in Court by the CID, under tight security, in connection with an allegation of war crimes he is alleged to have made against the Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa in an interview with The Sunday Leader in the run-up to the last presidential election. Continue Reading

The UNP headquarters has advised all Opposition UNP councillors in the Central Provincial Council to cooperate with the council’s newly appointed Opposition leader K. K. Piyadasa.

Following protests by a section of the Opposition against the appointment of Piyadasa as Opposition Leader, all members of the council’s Opposition were summoned to Srikotha on Wednesday. They were addressed by Deputy leader Karu Jayasuriya, Secretary General Tissa Attanayake and Chairman of the UNP Provincial Councils Committee ex-MP Vajira Abeywardena. Continue Reading