Highest number of sexual transmitted decease patients reported in the Puttlam district. Puttlam district health director said more than 800 patients related to the sexual transmitted decease indentified in the Puttlam district. Among them 15 patients are suffering from HIV. 

 These patients are currently receiving treatment at the Puttlam, Dankotuwa and Chilaw hospitals. According to the director highest numbers of patients are women.

Anandhi Sasidharan said that she has briefed Canadian parliamentarian on human rights situation of Tamils in the Northern Province. 

SriLanka born Rathika Sitsabesan is New Democratic Parliamentarian representing Scarborough –Rouge River. Canadian parliamentarian met Tamil National Alliance members at Jaffna today. TNA Provincial Council member Anandhi Sasidharan was also present at this meeting.

 Speaking to media Anandhi Sasidharan said , we have briefed Canadian MP of problems face by women in the Northern province ,human rights violations and disappearance persons in the northern part of the island . She further said Rathika Sitsabesan fail to brief on her future activities.

t has been announced by the Telecommunication regulatory commission that all outgoing calls for both land and mobile phones would be increased by a sum of 25% which is for the entire duration of the call.

 It is learnt that no charge would be levied to the recipients of the calls and for ‘sms’ messages.

 The Director General of the Telecommunication Regulatory Commission Anusha Pelpita says the government would receive an additional revenue of Rs 400 million for a year via this increase.

The Ministry of Sports decided to construct international grade play ground in Killinochchie. Ministry has allocated Rs.324 million this regard. 

National Engineering Corporation will complete the construction work in the mid of 2014, ministry sources said. 

 Minister made this statement on responding to the oral question raised by the TNA MP Sridharan at the parliament yesterday.

The fire that erupted on the fourth floor of the Education Ministry building in Isurupaya has been brought under control while no one was injured in the incident. 

The incident took place at around 8.45 this morning (December 20) while reports indicate that the fire could have been sparked by a failure on an air conditioner.

A court in Sri Lanka today extended till January three next year the remand of 30 fishermen, arrested by the Navy. 

 The fishermen, hailing from Pudukottai and Rameswaram, were arrested by the navy last month on charges of fishing in Sri Lankan waters. 

 The court in Mallagam extended their remand till January three next year, official sources said.

The list of candidates, who emerged first in the island in their respective streams in the recently concluded advanced Level examinations were released today Adhitha Weerasiri Dias of Richmond College Galle was ranked first in Mathematics at the 2013 Advanced Level examination. 

 Amaya Mahatanthila of Eheliyagoda Madya Maha Vidyalaya was ranked first in the island in the Bio science stream while Methsarani Lokuge of Devi Balika Vidyalaya, Colomb ranked first in the Arts stream.

 Erandi Kanchana of Ratnawalee Balika Vidyalaya, Gampaha came first in Commerce stream at the Exam. Duneesha Tharangie Fernando of Musaeus College Colombo was ranked 1st in Optional subjects at the 2013 Advanced Level examination.

Minister of Industry and Commerce of Sri Lanka Rishad Bathiudeen has warned that the Muslim IDP issue will get out of control if it is not addressed soon. A statement by the Minister said that 100,000 Muslim IDPs continue to suffer as humanitarian agencies and even the Resettlement Ministry have turned a blind eye to their plight. 

 Bathiudeen said that when he was the Minister of resettlement he gave priority to resettle some 300,000 Tamil war displaced people despite Muslim IDPs remaining in makeshift camps in Puttalam and Anuradhapura for 22 years. -“Earlier we did not have any differences but the terrorists differentiated us and chased us away.

 When the war was over, all the Tamils were resettled but not the Muslims. The problem is these 100,000 Muslims are suffering a lot. Even from the Indian housing scheme, Muslims are not given their share. This is the correct time to clear the land issue,” he said.

Budget proposal of the Karaitheevu Pradeshiya Sabaha at Amparai dominated by the Tamil National Alliance defeated yesterday. 

 Chairman of the council presented the budget proposal for year 2014 on Wednesday morning. 5 members representate in the Karaitheevu Pradeshiya Sabaha. 

 During the time of voting 4 members including 3 TNA members and one SriLanka Muslim Congress member voted against the budget proposal. Members blamed that Chairman has prepared the budget proposal according to his own wish.

The Grade five scholarship examination will not be held from the year 2016, the Education Minister stated. 

Minister Gunawardena said that it will not be necessary to conduct the Scholarship Examinations from 2016 as the '1000 secondary schools development project' carried out under the Ministry of Education will be completed by then.

The Ministry of Education today released the cut-off marks of the 2013 Grade 5 Scholarship Examination, which will determine the enrolling of students into Grade 6 at National Schools next year

The Minister of Education Bandhula Gunawardene today said final results of the G.C.E A/L examination would be release before the Christmas festival.

The Fraud Investigation Bureau of Colombo has arrested an individual who had been posing as a teacher at a leading school in Nugegoda by producing false documents. 

 Police Media Spokesperson SSP Ajith Rohana noted that the suspect had been serving the school since 2008 for a period of five years. The suspect had allegedly produced a forged certificate for graduation with merit in Economics from the University of Kelaniya. 

 SSP Ajith Rohana further pointed out that investigations revealed that the suspect had no such qualifications certified from the university. The suspect is scheduled to be produced before the Gangodawila Courts.

The Department of Fisheries state that they are discussing the possibility of freeing the Sri Lankan fishermen who are under arrest in India before Christmas. 

 The Director General, Nimal Hettiarachchi said discussions were held in this regard with the officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday. According to the Director General, there are 213 Sri Lankan fishermen and 40 fishing boats under Indian custody . 

 He added that a sum of Rs. 500,000 has been granted to the Sri Lankan High Commission in Chennai in order to purchase clothing and other essentials for these fishermen who are in Indian custody. 

 The Director General of the Department of Fisheries said, that immediate steps will be taken to bring back these fishermen once they are released.

Britain's Prince Charles and his wife, The Duchess of Cornwall will visit Sri Lanka from Thursday 14th to Saturday 16th November, the British High Commission in Colombo confirmed in a statement today.

The Prince of Wales will officially represent The Queen at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Colombo. The Prince is representing The Queen for the first time.

Both The Prince and The Duchess will attend the official opening ceremony and a dinner, hosted by The Prince, for Commonwealth Heads of Government.

In addition, The Prince will hold a small number of meetings with Commonwealth Heads and others on issues of key importance to the Summit.

British media reported that although he is not expected to raise the issue of human rights during his three-day visit to the island, The Prince may inquire on the delay in proceeding with the murder trial of British Red Cross worker Khuram Shaikh.

While in Sri Lanka, The Prince and The Duchess will also carry out a programme of official engagements including a visit to a mental health initiative, a hospital and a tea estate.

The Prince of Wales, who turns 65 during his tour to India prior to visiting Sri Lanka, will celebrate his birthday at a reception in Colombo on November 14, London Telegraph reported.

The Prince and the Duchess of Cornwall will spend nine days in India before travelling to Sri Lanka. Prince Charles last visited Sri Lanka in 2005 in the aftermath of the Boxing Day tsunami.

The Executive Council Meeting will be conducted at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) in Colombo. Prime Minister of Australia, the current Chair, will preside over this event.

Officially commencing on November 15th, the opening ceremony will be held on 15th November at Nelum Pokuna Mahinda Rajapaksa Theatre while most of the summit will be held at the BMICH from November 15 - 17. The Heads of government retreat will be held at the Waters Edge in Battaramulla.

The Commonwealth Youth Forum will be held from 10-14 November in the International Convention Centre in Hambantota while the Commonwealth Business Forum will take place at the Cinnamon Grand in Colombo from 12 -14 November.

According to the Met Department, a low pressure area is forming in the Bay of Bengal. Hence, showery and windy weather will continue over the country and suburb sea areas. 

 Showers or thundershowers will be fairly widespread. Fairly heavy falls are also likely at some places. 

The Met Department said that fairly strong winds are expected at times over the country and neighbouring sea areas. There may be temporary localised strong winds during thundershowers. 

The Met Department requested the general public to take adequate precautions to minimise the damages caused by lightning activities.

The Department of Registration of Persons has taken steps to provide National Identity Cards for all citizens above fifteen years of age. 

 The Commissioner General of Registration of Persons R.M.A.S. Sarath Kumara said that a set of new rules have been made for this purpose. 

 He said that with the issue of Electronic Identity Cards, the new regulations too will be in play.