UNP To Boycott The Colombo CHOGM Summit

The main opposition  United National Party(UNP) has decided to completely boycott the Commonwealth Heads Of Government Meeting scheduled to be commenced tomorrow(15) in Colombo the general secretary of UNP Tissa Attanayake has said today(14)earlier UNP has decided to participate the opening ceremony of commonwealth summit.

UNP has decided to boycott the summit due to the harassment of government towards UNP the secretary has stated.

Prince Charles Arrives In Sri Lanka To Inauguarte Commonwealth Summit

Britain's Prince Charles has arrived Sri Lanka this evening to inaugurate the 23rd edition of Commonwealth Heads Of Government Meeting(CHOGM) scheduled to be held from 15th to 17th of November on behalf of his mother the Queen Elizabeth the second.the prince was assisted with his wife the Duchess of Cornwell and they are here on a  three day official visit .

Today(14) is the 65th Birth Day of Prince Charles as well.during his participation to  the Commonwealth Meeting the prince will host several events on behalf of Queen who is the head of Commonwealth Summit including the inauguration of Commonwealth Heads Of Government Meeting tomorrow(15) morning , a dinner for the heads of the government and a reception for the business leaders.

Prince Charles is due to visit hill Country on Saturday and the places among he is due to visit are Historic Tooth Relic In Kandy,British Garrison Cemetery and Botanical Gardens in Peradeniya.at nuwara eliya he is due to visit a tea estate and a center for disability children run by  a British male with his sri lankan wife there.

Meanwhile a reception was held this evening at Westminster House to celebrate the birthday of prince Charles.president mahinda rajapaksha too hosted a birthday party for prince with traditional sweet meets .

Two Special Stamps To Mark CHOGM In Colombo

Two postal stamps worth Rs.5 and Rs.25 with special postal covers were issued this morning to commemorate the Commonwealth Heads Of Government meeting scheduled to be held on 15-17th November in Colombo.the newly issued stamps with postal covers were handed over to the president mahinda rajapakasha.

Channel-4 T.V Crew Has Abandoned Their Journey To Northern Sri Lanka After Protestors Blocked Their Train In Half Way

The visiting Six  member T.V crew of  Channel-4 T.V in Britain including the  controversial Journalist  Callum Macrae has sent back to Colombo by a special van this morning after the train they were traveled in to heart of Northern Province Kilinochchi was blocked by a group of protestors at Anuradhapura City(North Central Province) .

When the train reached Anuradhapura City, hundreds of protestors were sat on the rail way track and refused to allow the train which carrying hundreds of other passengers as well to continue their journey according to sources.the channel-4 t.v crew including their editor Ben de pear have stuck in Anuradhapura around two hours before abandoned their journey to kilinochchi and returned Colombo sources have added.

After allowing them to cover the Commonwealth Heads Of Government Meeting scheduled to be held in Colombo from 15th to 17th of this month Channel-4 T.V crew including  Callum Macrae arrived Colombo yesterday(12) .they have catch an early morning train today to go to kilinochchi and after reached Anuradhapura City they have faced this incident.

Although the police officers have intervened in the incident the protestors who were blocked the rail track have repeatedly requested the Channel-4 team to return to Colombo.protestors have also accused the t.v crew for  taking funds from the defeated local terrorist group LTTE and  making controversial documentaries against Sri Lanka.

As Sri Lankan Government as well as the president mahinda rajapaksha repeatedly promised the invited guests for the commonwealth summit will have free access too all parts of the country channel-4 t.v crew has informed the incident to president's office and to the British High Commission in Colombo.

The Sri Lankan government has earlier announced  that all protests were  banned in run up to the commonwealth summit.

Commonwealth Business Forum Has Inaugurated In Colombo

The Commonwealth Business Forum has inaugurated  today (12) by president Mahinda Rajapaksha at Cinnamon Grand Hotel in Colombo with the participation of around 1500 delegates from Commonwealth Countries including key businessmen and head of states.the three day Business Forum has scheduled to be concluded on 14th of November.

Around 67 delegates from non commonwealth countries are also participating this forum according to sources.

Meanwhile Sri Lanka Chamber Of Commerce has already  prepared around 50 investment projects for the Business Forum related to Tourism,Agriculture,Fisheries,Education,Information Technology and many more fields according to sources.

One of the  key businessmen who are  to address the Commonwealth Business Forum is Australian Businessman James Packer .however as he has arrived Sri Lanka with a tourist visa the main opposition party in the country United National Party(UNP) has lodged a complaint at Police Headquarters by requesting
arrest him  as he is attending the summit under tourist visa.

A Group Of Protestors Demonstrated Against Arrival Of Channel-4 T.V Crew

A group of protestors have demonstrated against the visit of British Channel-4 T.V crew lead by Callum Macrae at the lobby of Katunayake Bandaranaike International Air Port this evening soon after  the T.V Crew has arrived Sri Lanka.Channel -4 T.V Crew has left the Air Port only after the protestors  dispersed from the area sources said.

A group called "Movement To Promote National Harmony" has organized this protest campaign and nearly 100 protestors have participated the protest  sources further added.later the protestors have held a demonstration in front of Jaic Hilton Hotel where Macrae is staying.

Two Female Parliamentarians From Australia And New Zealand Have Been Detained In Sri Lanka

Two female parliamentarians from  Australia and New Zealand have been detained and are being questioned by Sri Lankan Immigration-Emmigration officials today(10) for violating visa regulations according Immigration-Emigration Department.Australian Green Party Senator Lee Rhiannon and New Zealand Parliamentarian Jan Loggie have been detained and later released after they have promised to leave the country by cancelling their planned projects in Sri Lanka authorities revealed.

Australian Green Party Senator Rhiannon has arrived Sri Lanka to study human rights record in Sri Lanka and due to meet Civil Society Groups in Colombo as well as to be conduct a press briefing at the time when she got arrested by immigration and emigration officials.according to officials both Parliamentarians were violated visa regulations and they were planned to engage in special projects here although they arrived Sri Lanka
under  tourist visas.

Colombo-Katunayake Express Highway To Be Closed For One Hour And Fifteen Minutes Tomorrow Noon

A section of the Colombo-Katunayake Express Highway is scheduled to be closed tomorrow from 12.45 p.m to 2 p.m due to the  arriving of VIP's including heads of states for the Commonwealth Heads Of Government Meeting(CHOGM) in Colombo.the express highway from Baseline Road to Kelaniya Bridge and Borellla and  Baudhdhaloka Mawatha will be closed during that time period due to VIP Movement sources said.

Commonwealth Secretary And A Delegation Arrived For CHOGM Summit

The Secretary General Of Commonwealth Kamalesh Sharma and  a delegation of Commonwealth Secretariat in London have arrived Sri Lanka this noon  to attend Commonwealth Heads Of Government Meeting(CHOGM)scheduled to be held in Colombo from 15-17th  this month.

The Secretary Sharma is due to attend  the Commonwealth Youth Forum to be held in Southern City of Hambanthota from 10-14 th of November prior to the heads of government meeting.

The commonwealth secretariat it self become under heavy criticism from International Human Rights Groups,Media and some other sections for their stand of giving Sri Lanka to host this year's Commonwealth summit citing human right violations.after the Colombo Summit Sri Lanka is to chair the Commonwealth for next two years .the Commonwealth Heads Of Government Meeting is scheduled to be held in Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall(BMICH) and Hotel Waters Edge in Colombo from 15-17th of November and leaders in so many Commonwealth Countries have already confirmed their participation to the summit.

Around 15,000 Illegal Sri Lankan Workers Sent To Saudi Arabia Returned

Around 15,000 Illegal Workers stayed in Saudi Arabia were returned to the Island today(07) on an amnesty provided by Saudi Arabian Government the Sri Lankan Foreign Employment Bureau has said.according to the Bureau there's still around 1500 illegal Sri Lankan workers who are  stuck in Saudi Arabia due to not possessing the relevant documents.

Those illegal workers have reintroduced to the system upon which they will detained in camps up to 3-4 months and then released .

A Reasonable Number Of Thyroid Cancer Patients Has Annually Dying Due to Delaying Of Iodine Treatment-Oncologists

Around 500-600 Thyroid Cancer Patients have been reported throughout the Island annually and some of these patients have died due to the delaying of Radioactive Iodine Treatment according to Oncologists.already there are around 1200 thyroid cancer patients registered in Maharagama,Cancer Hospital for iodine treatment and the awaiting list for the treatment is three and half years long they have said.

To avoid delay of iodine treatment of thyroid cancer patients the Sri Lankan College Of Oncologists have been submitted a proposal to Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena on the way to enable these cancer patients to undergo iodine treatment withing one month period  after the must face surgery for them .

One of the senior Oncologists who meet the minister on last Tuesday to discuss this issue has told at a press briefing held in  the Government Medical Officers Association(GMOA) office this noon that few of the major points of the submitted proposal are activating the Iodine Treatment Unit opened in the Kurunagala Teaching Hospital three years back and setting up an iodine treatment facilities in an identified major government hospitals .

PSM'S,Nurses And Para Medics To Launch Two Day Island Wide Strike

The Professions Supplementary To Medicine(PSM's) ,Para Medical Officers and Nurses working in Government Hospitals and Health Institutions have decided to launch a two day island wide strike on 27th and 28th of this Month by demanding solutions for six of their unsolved service demands according to Joint Council Of Nursing,PSM'S And Para Medical Officers .

The joint convener of the Joint Council Saman Ratnapriya has said today(07) that due to the lack of interest shown in by Health Ministry Officials when finding solutions for  their  demands  the members have no other alternative  but to  go for a strike action.

Prior to the strike the three categories of Health Professionals Professions Supplementary To Medicine,Nurses and Para Medical Officers are due to launch protest campaigns in front of government hospitals in many districts including Colombo and Kandy from 18th to 22nd of November Ratnapriya has revealed.

Increasing the On Call,Disturbance and Transport Allowance,increasing overtime payments Rs.200 per hour among the demands submitted by Joint Council.

Sri Lanka Has Granted Visa For Channel 4 Director Callum Macrae

Sri Lankan Government has granted visas to director of  Channal 4 Television Station in United Kingdom Callum Macrae who has made the  controversial "No Fire Zone" film against Sri Lanka and his T.V Crew to enter the country in view of covering  Commonwealth Heads Of Government Meeting(CHOGM) .

However the Controversial Channel-4 Director has earlier refused  to grant visa to India sources said.despite the Indian Government's  decision, Sri Lankan government has decided  to grant visas for him the media ministry has announced.Callum Macrae was responsible for making "No Fire Zone" a documentary film made against Sri Lanka by citing human right violations have occurred during final phase of war between Sri Lankan Army and LTTE in the year 2009.

Marvan Atapattu And Mark Davies Became Hot Contenders For Sri Lankan Cricket Coach Post

Sri Lankan Cricket Authorities have today(06)shortlisted former Sri Lankan Skipper Marvan Atapattu and South African Mark Davies for the final interview to  select head coach of the Sri Lankan National Cricket Team .although Sri Lankan Cricket has earlier announced that former Australian Skipper Greg Chappal is tipped to become next Sri Lankan Head Coach he has not even attended the interview.

Along with Marvan Atapattu and Mark Davies,former Sri Lankan Cricketers Romesh Kaluwitharana and Ruwan Kalpage were reported as attended the preliminary interviews  held this evening at Sri Lankan Cricket Board.

Drug Company Reps.Affects Patient Care In Government Hospitals

Due to the presence of Drug Company Representatives in Government Hospital Clinics and Wards during working hours, patient care has been paralyzed  as those representatives trying to promote their products to consultant Doctors while they are  being  engage in treating patients hospital sources said.as there is no law to restrict these drug reps by entering  government hospitals during working hours those reps are easily enter hospital premises at any time and doing their promotion work.

If the health authorities are banning  the  drug reps by entering government hospitals during working  hours it can prevent the said situation Hospital Directors said.

A Foreign Diplomatic Passport Holder Was Arrested With Large Haul Of Heroin

A Foreign Diplomatic Passport Holder was arrested at Katunayake Bandaranaike International Air Port this morning when trying to smuggle  30 Killo Grammes of Heroin in to the country according to Customs.the estimated value of the  haul of heroin taken in to custody is believe to be Rs.300 million custom sources revealed.

Investigations are already underway to ascertain the exact value and the weight of the heroin sources added.

Five Million Five Hundred Rupee Notes For CHOGM

A  Five million   Five hundred Rupee notes denomination with Commonwealth Heads Of Government Meeting (CHOGM)2013 logo are scheduled to be issued for circulation on 15th of November the  Central Bank has announced today(05).

Six Bus Passengers Were Killed Due To A Bus Accident In Bandarawela

Six passengers were killed and more than twenty people got injured when a bus traveling on the Bandarawela-Punagala Road has been skidded off the road and fell in to a 300 feet deep precipice at Punagala area this evening.twenty three injured passengers are currently admitted to Bandarawela and Diyathalawa Hospitals for further treatment according to hospital sources.

Around Sixty passengers were there inside the bus when the accident has occurred according to reports.