Stop attacks on the independence of judiciary:UN expert

Stop attacks on the independence of judiciary: Gabriela Knaul 

Impeachment against the Chief Justice Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake 

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, Gabriela Knaul has expressed serious concern about the impeachment proceedings against the Chief Justice Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake and the recent attacks against lawyers who have been fighting for the independence of the judiciary in Sri Lanka.

According to information received by the independent expert, attacks and threats against members of the judiciary and lawyers, as well as interference in their work, have dramatically increased over the past few months.

The case risks a destabilizing clash between President Mahinda Rajapaksa's government and the judiciary. Opposition parties have withdrawn from the process, saying it was unfair. 

"The recent steps taken by the executive and legislative towards impeaching the chief justice appear to be the culminating point of a series of attacks against the judiciary for asserting its independence,"Gabriela Knaul said in a statement. 
A parliamentary impeachment panel found Bandaranayake guilty on three counts earlier this month. She has appealed against the decision and the United States, the United Nations and Commonwealth have all raised concerns about the process.
Gabriela Knaul said article 107 of the Sri Lankan constitution, read together with Standing Orders of Parliament, contravened international human rights law and needed amending so that disciplinary proceedings against judges were conducted by independent commissions.

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Sri Lanka welcomes1000,000th tourist

Sri Lanka welcomes1000,000th tourist

1,000,000th tourist in year 2012

Sri Lanka Tourism welcomed the arrival of 1,000,000th tourist in year 2012 at Bandaranaike International Airport last night. Accordingly Ms. Jiang Ying and her husband were the 1,000,000th tourist who arrived in the country.
Sri Lanka Tourism took steps to arrange a special ceremony to welcome the 1,000,000th guest.

The tourist was greeted by senior officials of Sri Lanka Tourism, SriLankan airlines and Airport Aviation.

"I had heard a lot about Sri Lanka from my friends. I found out details about your country before deciding my holiday destination. I was simply bewitched by the photos on the internet. Sri Lanka is as beautiful and breathtaking as presented in the photos. Moreover, Sri Lankans are very hospitable and kind."said  Ms. Jiang Ying.

Sri Lanka has set a target of 1.3 million tourist arrivals for 2013.

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Korean government launches Sinhala online web service

Korean government launches Sinhala online web service

"I hope this will improve the brotherly relationship between the two nations.”

The Embassy of Sri Lanka in Seoul,South Korea launched an online web service named "e-People service" in Sinhala to help Sri Lankans residing in Korea to submit complaints and comments to the government in their native language. 

This act is a significant way forward to minimize barriers to communication between the government and citizens, especially for the 23,000 Sri Lankans living in Korea who may feel language as an issue that prevents them from articulating their opinions and concerns. Earlier, issues and concerns may have remain unresolved or had to go through a complicated procedure due to language barriers.

The e-People service will further build a more open and friendly society between the Korean government and Sri Lankans and strengthen the relations between the two countries. The Korean Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission(ACRC) Chairman Lee Sung-bo at the Ceremony stated that “We pledge to make consistent efforts to build clean and transparent nation in which everyone has equal rights and opportunities…I hope this will improve the brotherly relationship between the two nations.”

Civil petitions or complaints can be filed by logging on to the e-People website (www.epeople.go.kr) and clicking on the Sri Lankan flag icon.

 

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Kumar Sangakkara out of the Australia tour

Kumar Sangakkara out of the Australia tour

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sangakkara, Welagedara,Jayawardene ruled out...

The Senior Sri Lankan top order batsman and wicket keeper Kumar Sangakkara  has been ruled out of the rest of Sri Lanka's tour of Australia after scans revealed a fracture on his left hand, foreign media reports stated. He suffered the injury after being hit by a Mitchell Johnson bouncer during the Boxing Day Test.

Kumar Sangakkara will be out for between six to eight weeks, meaning he will miss Sri Lanka's final Test vs Australia in Sydney, along with five one-day internationals and two Twenty20 games over the next month.

On the second day of the Boxing Day Test match, fast bowler Chanaka Welagedara was ruled out of action after suffering a hamstring injury, and he is most likely to be sent back to Sri Lanka. 

On the first day Mitchell Johnson put Sri Lankan wicketkeeper/batsman, Prasanna Jayawardene out of action by hitting his right thumb.

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Australia wins 2nd Test against Sri Lanka

Australia wins 2nd Test against Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka vs Australia

Australia defeated Sri Lanka by an innings and 201 runs to win the second boxing day test on day three at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), and seal their three-match series 2-0.

 Needing 305 runs to make Australia bat again, Sri Lanka surrendered after adding only 103 in their second innings, with a top order collapse and a raft of injuries cutting the match short. After bowling Australia out for 460 in the first hour, Sri Lanka staggered to lunch at 43-4 and lost 10,000-Test run-getter Kumar Sangakkara to injury after the interval when he retired hurt after being struck on the glove by a Mitchell Johnson delivery.

The teams will play the final dead rubber Test in Sydney on January 3.2013

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Sri Lanka Tourism's promotional campaign in Australia

Sri Lanka Tourism's promotional campaign in Australia

Sri Lanka Tourism targets to attract 50,000 Australian tourists in 2013

Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau launched a fresh promotional campaign in Australia,The campaign launched with the start of the historic ‘Boxing Day’ Test match played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), will be continued during the test series s and the upcoming five one day international (ODI) and two T20 matches between Sri Lanka and Australia. 

Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) expects the campaign to reach nearly 75 million TV viewers around the world, who will be glued to television sets, watching Cricket matches.

Sri Lanka Tourism is aiming to promote the county’s Beaches, its heritage, its wildlife aspects and also its various cultural festivals to the Australians.

Sri Lanka has only attracted just 0.5% out of the 7 million Australians who have traveled out of their country annually. Sri Lanka Tourism targets to attract 50,000 Australian tourists during the year 2013 and already has attracted  35,000 visitors in this year.

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Kumar Sangakkara passes 10,000 Test runs

Kumar Sangakkara passes 10,000 Test runs

Sangakkara joins 10,000-run club

Sri Lanka top order batsman Kumar Sangakkara became only the 11th cricketer and the second Sri Lankan player to pass 10,000 Test runs,passing the milestone on the opening day of the Boxing Day Test against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

He reached 10,000 Tests runs in 195 innings, equalling the record previously shared by Brian Lara and Sachin Tendulkar.

He averages more than 55 in a career spanning 115 Tests.

List of leading run-scorers in Tests

• Sachin Tendulkar - 15645 
• Ricky Ponting - 13378 
• Rahul Dravid - 13288 
• Jacques Kallis -12980 
• Brian Lara -11953 
• Allan Border -11174 
• Steve Waugh -10927 
• Shivnarine Chanderpaul -10696 
• Mahela Jayawardene -10674 
• Sunil Gavaskar -10122 
• Kumar Sangakkara -10009

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Angelo Mathews ready for captaincy

Angelo Mathews ready for captaincy

"I'll probably take it,''

Sri Lanka current Vice Captain and all-rounder Angelo Mathews said, that he is ready to take over as skipper once Mahela Jayawardene steps aside at the end of the current Australian series.

"I'm pretty much prepared. If they offer me the captain's job, I'll probably take it,'' Angelo Mathews said.

Those are not easy boots to fill and do as well as Mahela has done. It's a tough challenge, let's see how it goes. I am prepared for the role and if they offer it to me, I will take it. "

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More state firms to be listed in Colombo Stock Exchange

More state firms to be listed in Colombo Stock Exchange

Sri Lanka to modernize the Capital Market

Sri Lanka will list more state firms in the Colombo Stock Exchange as well as encouraging more privately owned companies list, International Monetary Co-operation and Deputy Finance Minister Sarath Amunugama said. 

Listing more companies both private and public are among a series of initiatives that the state will pursue in the next two to three years, Minister Amunugama said in a speech at the Certificate and Diploma Awards ceremony held by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Minister Amunugama has pointed out that the primary reason for small capitalization at the CSE is that only 288 companies are listed in the tiny bourse although there are over 10,000 registered and operationally active companies in the country.


"We must show companies that CSE in an ideal forum to raise capital and make the listing process less cumbersome. 


"We are hoping to increase to double the number of companies listed on CSE by 2016. The market liquidity can be increased by increasing the number of listed companies.

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Fast cars to be listed under a new category

Fast cars to be listed under a new category

Re-introduce speed limit

Fast cars with a higher engine capacity will be listed under a new category from next month (january 2013), that the new category will be introduced as a result of government moves to exempt taxes on some types of racing cars, Commissioner General of Motor Traffic S. H. Harischandra said.
Sri Lanka All cars are categorized under normal cars and still do not have a special category to fast cars.

the budget for 2013 that the tax on racing cars imported to Sri Lanka will be relaxed.The Ministry of Finance however later clarified that the tax exception announced in the 2013 budget was valid only for Go-carts.
also The government is to re-introduce speed limit sign boards from next year,that a gazette notification in that regard had already been submitted,the Department of Motor Traffic said.

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The UCI World Cycling Tour Visits Sri Lanka in 2013

The UCI World Cycling Tour Visits Sri Lanka in 2013

UCI World Cycling Tour 2013.

After two successful seasons since its launch in 2011, the UCI World Cycling Tour (UWCT) enters 2013 with an exciting calendar, touring all five continents. Besides classic venues such as Italy, Belgium and France, the new world giants of Australia, Brazil and the USA among many other exciting destinations, the series is now ready to welcome its first Asian event. The exotic landscape of Sri Lanka is our first stop next year, with a Road Race and a Time Trial in the surrounding of the country’s former capital, Colombo. The month of April seems to be inviting to warm, coastal destinations. After Sri Lanka, the UWCT has a stop in the glamorous hills of Saint Tropez, France, in Perth, Australia and then in Chania, on the Greek Island of Crete.

In May we move on to the state of New York, in the USA to get the season started in North America. UCI Bike City Copenhagen expects the Scandinavian crowd and other visitors for their Road Race and Time Trial. Belgium also hosts their qualifier event in May.

In June it’s time for Ljubljana, Slovenia’s capital, to show why they have recently been awarded as host city of the 2014 UWCT Final. Their classic style road race is one of the biggest and most traditional in the series, with the city centre fully closed for cyclists. Then we move north to the rolling mountains of Austria, to St. Polten in the Vienna surroundings.

In July the UWCT takes us to a rehearsal of the most challenging UWCT Final ever. The Qualifier event in Trento, Italy, will feature most of the climbs and landscape of this season’s Final. In August and September, Brazil and Spain close the opportunities for riders to qualify to a legendary Final.

The town of Trento is so proud to be hosting the 2013 Road Masters World Championships (UWCT Final) that it will be hard not to feel already a World Champion once you get there. The rainbow colors will be everywhere and the top of the famous Giro d’ Italia climb, Monte Bondone itself, will be standing like a podium for the ones who reach its top on the road race.

Calendar 2013

Sun 16 Sep 2012	Amy’s Gran Fondo	Lorne	Australia
04-07 April 2013	Gran Fondo Sri Lanka	Colombo	Sri Lanka
Sun 07 April 2013	Gran Fondo Golfe de St Tropez	Saint Tropez	France
12-14 April 2013	UWCT Perth	Perth	Australia
28-30 April 2013	Cretan Cycling Challenge	Chania	Greece
Sun 05 May 2013	Putnam Cycling Classic	Cold Springs	USA
10-12 May 2013	Copenhagen Gran Fondo	Copenhagen	Denmark
Sun 26 May 2013	Gran Fondo Eddy Merckx	Blégny	Belgium
07-09 June 2013	Franja Maraton BTC City	Ljubljana	Slovenia
14-16 June 2013	Sankt Pöltner Radmarathon	Sankt Pölten	Austria
19-21 July 2013	La Leggendaria Charly Gaul	Trento	Italy
Sun 11 Aug 2013	Copa 100k	Rio De Janeiro	Brazil
Sat 07 Sep 2013	Val d’Aran Cycling Tour	Vielha	Spain
19-22 Sep 2013	UWCT Final	Trento	Italy

Qualifier events for the 2014 Final

Sun 15 Sep 2013     Amy’s Gran Fondo                    Lorne                        Australia

26-27 Oct 2013      Msunduzi Road Challenge         Pietermaritzburg    South Africa

More information on www.uciworldcyclingtour.com

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Tillakaratne Dilshan may retire from Tests

Tillakaratne Dilshan may retire from Tests

"I'm definitely going to play in the 2015 World Cup"

Sri Lankan opener Tillakaratne Dilshan showed he still has what it takes to perform at the highest level after notching up 147 in the second innings of his side's 137-run loss to Australia in Hobart.

Dilshan intends to return Down Under for the 2015 ODI World Cup, but his career in Tests is set to hinge on a discussion with his family after the current series.  


"Sydney will be my last Test outside Sri Lanka. We have some home Test matches against Zimbabwe and Bangladesh next year and if there are young players waiting to fit into the opener’s role I will step aside and give my place to them," 


"I'm definitely going to play in the 2015 World Cup, but I'm not sure how long I'm going to play Test cricket."

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Main opposition of Sri Lanka (UNP) to take the fight to the streets

Kurunegala District UNP parliamentarian
Akila Viraj Kariyawasam

United National Party (UNP)

Sri Lanka main opposition, United National Party (UNP) Says, It will launch a series of anti-government agitations in January next year(2013), to express condemnation over the crisis in the Judiciary.
Addressing the media, Kurunegala District UNP parliamentarian Akila Viraj Kariyawasam said public has now lost confidence in the judiciary due to the way the government is handling the impeachment motion against the Chief Justice.

“The education system is in a mess. The health sector has become quite unstable with the doctors and nurses engaging in trade union actions. All supposedly independent commissions, such as the Police Commission and the Public Services Commission are controlled by the government. Now the Judiciary is also not independent, as we can clearly see,” he said.

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‘Leo Burnett Solutions Inc.(LBSI), the best advertising agency in Sri Lanka’

Leo Burnett Solutions Inc

Sri Lanka’s No. 1 creative agency

Leo Burnett Solutions Inc.(LBSI), the local office of the global advertising network Leo Burnett Worldwide was both awarded as ‘South Asia Creative of the Year’ and ‘South Asia Account Person of the Year’ runner up awards respectively, said its managing director of Ranil de Silva.

"in their annual creative rankings, identified us as Sri Lanka’s No. 1 creative agency and Subhash as the country’s No.1 creative director. So now I can without hesitation state that Leo Burnett really is the best agency in Sri Lanka!"said Ranil de Silva.

Its been an exceptional 2012

"Arc’s progress has been equally gratifying. We strengthened the team with specialists who have the knowledge and skills to serve up a truly differentiated product and the results have been gratifying. Our PR team at Arc will begin functioning independently in 2013 with the competency to deliver the latest, most advanced communications solutions. A partnership with the world’s largest PR brand, MS&L, will add unprecedented verve and effectiveness to our work in this sphere."

Best Agency in South Asia -
 Murtaza and Subhash collecting the
 Gold Award in Singapore!

 "Advertising is a fun business, if we fail to have fun in this business we will not be doing things right."he said.

this was speaking recently in Colombo at a function where Leor Burnett’s many achievements were highlighted.

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Miss USA Olivia Culpo crowned Miss Universe 2012

Miss USA Olivia Culpo crowned
 Miss Universe 2012

Miss Universe 2012

A 20-year-old beauty queen from Rhode Island, Olivia Culpo, Miss USA was crowned Miss Universe 2012,beating out 88 other women during a televised competition at the Planet Hollywood casino on the Las Vegas Strip. 
Miss Philippines, Janine Tugonon, came in second, while Miss Venezuela, Irene Sofia Esser Quintero, placed third.

Miss Olivia Culpo previously won the 2012 Miss Rhode Island USA competition, which was the first pageant she entered.  She currently attends Boston University.
Miss Sri Lanka 2012, Sabrina Herft also participated the Miss Universe 2012 competition.

Miss Universe 2012 Olivia Culpo

The competition, which was held this year at Las Vegas’ Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino, was hosted by Andy Cohen and Giuliana Rancic.

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Sri Lanka Minimum broadband speeds in 2013

Sri Lanka Minimum broadband speeds in 2013

Monitoring minimum broadband speeds 

From January next year(2013), minimum broadband speeds will be monitored strictly for both fixed and mobile operators in Sri Lanka. The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) has established a broadband speed standard of not lower than 70% of the speed advertised for fixed-line operators and not lower than 30%  advertised for mobile operators, the TRCSL reports. The standard was established after two years of discussions and consultation with operators. The regulator plans to conduct speed tests to measure broadband performance and will publish the results. 

Since December 2010, broadband speed measurements have been carried out in locations confined to the Colombo area and were published in the TRCSL’s official website. It is learnt that Sri Lanka is the only country to have increased transparency in terms of operator speeds.
“Now we have enabled each broadband customer to measure his own speed from the PC. To facilitate this, we have hosted ‘an icon’ on the TRCSL website as well as on the homepage of all the operators,” he emphasized. Commenting on this, the Director General of the TRCSL, Anusha Palpita said, “One of our major obligations is to protect the rights of broadband users to ensure that subscribers are receiving a reliable and speedy broadband service at an affordable price. I believe that this speed measuring facility would help the role of regulator in the process of realizing these obligations. I’m very pleased to notice this voluntary action of service providers which reflects their genuine efforts and their readiness to accept the input of broadband subscribers in a transparent manner.” For this purpose, the TRCSL has established international servers in both the United States and Germany with a monthly maintenance cost of Rs.100,000 to provide highly accurate and reliable ‘end to end’ broadband speed measurements to both service providers and the customers.

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Miss Universe Sri Lanka 2012 : Sabrina Herft

Miss Universe 2012  Sri Lanka’s
 Sabrina Herft

Miss Universe 2012 

Miss Sri Lanka 2012, Sabrina Herft will compete with other 89 stunningly beautiful contestants from various countries in the 61st Miss Universe 2012 pageant, which will be held in Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas on Dec. 19, Wednesday, at 8 pm EST/5 pm PST. Miss Universe 2012 pageant will be broadcast live from Las Vegas,United States on Telemundo and NBC. 

Sabrina Herft has been named a close favorite to enter the top 16 and thereby have a good chance of winning this year's Miss Universe pageant. 

She is a 25-year-old graduate in Mass Communication of the University of Melbourne, Australia. At present she is a media coordinator of a World Bank funded project in Sri Lanka.

AMiss Sri Lanka 2012 Sabrina Herft

Having wowed the judges with her charm and confidence, Sabrina will hopefully move on to the finals, which will see a host of celebrity judges led by pageant owner Donald Trump pick the winner.

The Host & Commentators of the show are:

Andy Cohen, Host of Bravo’s Watch What Happens: LiveGiuliana Rancic, Anchor, E! News, Fashion PoliceJeannie Mai, Host, and Style Network’s How Do I look?

Musical Performers by:

Train, Three-Time Grammy Award-Winning Band
Timomatic, Australian Singer and Dancer

ASabrina Herft in Miss Universe 2012

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