SRI LANKA:Three terms for the President »
Tuesday, 27 April 2010 23:00 By Sandun A. Jayasekara The government may bring amendments to the Constitution within the next month to allow three terms for an executive President, a senior government source claimed today. The Constitutional reforms the UPFA government expects to introduce on priority basis in the next few weeks will include the [...]
First Broken Govt Promise? »
By Shamindra Ferdinando Will it be possible for President Mahinda Rajapaksa to at least keep the number of cabinet ministers to less than 40 as UPFA leaders promised in the run-up to the April 8 general election? It seems unlikely say ministerial sources, who pointed out that the CWC leader Arumugam Thondaman and UPFA heavyweights [...]
Disruptive plane passenger taken into custody »
By the CNN Wire Staff April 23, 2010 (CNN) — A Delta Air Lines flight was rerouted Friday morning after a passenger threatened to blow up the plane, screamed “get behind me Satan” and sprayed passengers with water from a beverage-cart bottle, according to a complaint filed in federal court. Flight attendants and other passengers [...]
Cult leader, ex-Nazi Schaefer dies in Chile »
By the CNN Wire Staff April 24, 2010 9:09 p.m. EDT (CNN) — Paul Schaefer, a former Nazi who fled Germany in 1961 and founded a cult-like commune in Chile, died Saturday in a prison hospital. He was 88. Schaefer was serving a 20-year sentence at the national penitentiary in Santiago for sexually abusing children [...]
IMF raises 2010 growth outlook, says government debt poses risk »
The International Monetary Fund raised its forecast for global growth this year led by China and cautioned that a failure of nations to contain soaring public debt might have “severe” consequences for the world economy. The IMF yesterday said the global economy will expand 4.2 percent in 2010, the fastest pace since 2007, compared with [...]
ICC Twenty20 World Cup in West Indies »
Sri Lanka leave with openers’ riddle By Desmond Samith Who is going to open the innings was still an unanswered question as Sri Lanka team left for the West Indies yesterday evening for the Twenty20 World Cup. However, captain Kumar Sangakkara in his diplomatic voice told the media he has four good options to choose [...]
Iceland eruption: SL loses millions »
By Chathura Weerasekara Sri Lankan industries suffered millions in losses due to the volcanic eruption in Southern Iceland. According to the views of some leading Sri Lankan industrialists, the eruption has had both direct and indirect impacts on the local economy. Industries such as tourism, international trade and export faced the largest blow as there [...]
THE Future of Sri Lanka & The Future of the opposition »
By DAYAN JAYATILLEKA Consider this: what prevents the ruling coalition from unveiling a new ‘first past the post’ electoral system and going for a mid–term parliamentary election? Judging by current trends and data of a decade, the UNP, if it remains under Ranil Wickremesinghe, would be overrun and crushed to a pulp, not even reaching [...]
Opposition should look to talent rather than numbers »
by Ruana Rajepakse With the Government commanding 144 seats in the 225 seat Parliament, the Opposition has to look to talent rather than numbers to make an impact. The Government, which fought the election with the stated goal of winning a two-thirds majority and amending the Constitution, has fallen just six seats short and may [...]
The beginning of a new era in Sri Lanka’s foreign relations »
K Godage Last Friday (Apr. 23) I wrote on the history of our foreign relations and of how, because of changed external factors, we have benefited to the extent that the witch hunt we were being subjected to has had to be called off by our detractors in their own interest. But this does not [...]
