President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday declared open the newly built apparel factory of the Hirdaramani group at Puthukkudiyiruppu in the former conflict zone in the North. Speaking at the event President Sirisena said the future of the country is with the youth and the country can be built with their strength, utilizing their energy and ensuring their democratic rights to build the nation. The President said the government is set to launch many new investment projects in the North where the people are struggling with unemployment and poverty.

President Maithripala Sirisena today assured that he will look to resolve the issue on persons reported missing during the war. The President gave the assurance when he visited Puthukkudiyiruppu in Mullaitivu, a town which was once under LTTE control. President Sirisena was in Puthukkudiyiruppu today to declare open a new garment factory by the Hirdaramani group. Addressing the gathering at the event, the President said that when he spoke to the employees of the factory they spoke to him about a few concerns they had.Among the concerns raised was poor infrastructure facilities in some areas of the North despite the end of the war seven years ago.

India has reportedly laid down two conditions for the Colombo port city. New Delhi has been opposing the project, alleging it was being built as part of China

Astrology and occultism have been a double-edged sword for former Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Belief in them has led him to heights of success as well as depths of disaster. Currently, an astrological prediction is threatening to deny Rajapaksa the Colombo mansion he is desperate to occupy because astrologers had predicted that his political fortune, now at its nadir, would soar if he occupied the house. To Rajapaksa

The army is yet to provide details requested by Court in the case related to missing journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda. The Homagama Magistrate

President Maithripala Sirisena this week appointed a committee headed by the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence Karunasena Hettiarachchi to expedite the release of private land occupied by the military in the north to owners. The President chaired an hour long meeting attended by the District Secretaries from the North, Army Commander Lieutenant General Chrishantha De Silva, Minister of Prison Reforms, Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Hindu Religious Affairs D.M. Swaminathan and the Governor of the Northern Province H.M.G.S.Palihakkara. Mr. Hettiarachchi told the Sunday Times that he would visit Jaffna on Wednesday to assess the situation.

Two high profile visitors

The International Truth and Justice Project is deeply concerned that Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena appears to be rolling back on his commitment in Geneva to include international involvement in a future judicial mechanism. In an interview with the BBC yesterday, the President reportedly stated,

TNA Northern Province MP M.K. Shivajilingam says, the party flatly rejected President Maithripala Sirisena's statement in an interview with the BBC that there was no need for a Hybrid Court in the country. Shivajilingam said even the US-sponsored resolution to the UN clearly stipulates the need to seek the services of foreign judges for the judicial process in Sri Lanka, hence the President's statement constitutes a denial of a statement in the US resolution. The MP said the TNA would brief the international community on the President's categorical statement that was a serious matter.

Asian Development Bank Chairman Takehiko Nakao yesterday pledged more financial and technological support to Sri Lanka as the country has made tremendous achievements in the field democracy, Human rights and freedom of people. The ADB Chairman made these remarks when he called on Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on the sidelines of World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Their meeting focused on how the ADB can provide further assistance for the development of Sri Lanka.

The Japanese government will send a special envoy on January 24 to Sri Lanka to discuss and help formulate a practicable plan on implementing the Geneva proposals on alleged war crimes. Methu Nebuchi is a specialist judge on crime investigation and a consultant on Sri Lanka

Another US State Department official is scheduled to arrive in Sri Lanka next week as the US continues to strengthen its relationship with Sri Lanka. Macon Phillips, Coordinator for the Bureau of International Information Programs is expected to arrive tomorrow or early Monday on a short visit. His first role in the Obama Administration was at the White House, as a Special Assistant to the President and Director of Digital Strategy. Previously he ran the new media program for the Presidential Transition Team and served as the deputy director of the Obama campaign

Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC)

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) will not deviate from their stance on finding a solution based on the federal system, TNA Leader and Leader of the Opposition, R. Sampanthan, said. He was addressing a special meeting of the TNA held in Kilinochchi yesterday. The TNA Parliamentarians, Provincial Councillors and members of local bodies in the North and East participated in the meeting. Sampanthan further in his address said, from the time of Federal Party Leader late S.J.V. Chelvanayagam, federalism has been emphasized as a solution to the Tamil question and the TNA will continue with the same stance.

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has refuted Northern Province Chief Minister C.V.Wigneswaran

President Maithripala Sirisena threw down the gauntlet yesterday on the involvement of foreign and Commonwealth judges and prosecutors in Sri Lanka

The British Government has offered assistance to the Jaffna Police to curb crimes against women and children in the Northern Province. The British Government has promised that they will help Jaffna Police to investigate matters relating to crimes against women and children. British Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Hugo Swire who visited Jaffna last week assured Inspector General of Police(IGP) N.K.Ilangakoon and Jaffna Police Officer in Charge (OIC) Udaya Kumara Woodler that assistance shall be provided to carry out the investigations.

Former Additional Secretary of the Defence Ministry Damayanthi Jayaratne who is currently attached to the Home Affairs Ministry has gone abroad without permission from the ministry, Ministry Secretary J.J. Ratnasiri informed the Presidential Commission of Inquiry yesterday. The Ministry Secretary in a letter addressed to the Commission has informed that Jayaratne has not obtained leave to go abroad from the ministry. She is also being probed over the irregularities that has allegedly taken place at Rakna Lanka Security Limited. Jayaratne has tendered a letter to the Public Services Commission expressing her desire to retire from the public service before leaving the country.

Former North East Chief Minister Varatharaja Perumal has made submissions before the Constitutional reforms committee at Visumpaya. Perumal was the first and only Chief minister of the merged North Eastern Province and is the founder of the Eelam People

European Union (EU) and Sri Lanka today recognised the need to fully implement the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) resolution of October 2015. The Working Group on Governance, Rule of Law and Human Rights under the European Union-Sri Lanka Joint Commission concluded its first meeting in Colombo today. The meeting was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Colombo with the participation of senior officials from Sri Lanka and the European Union.

The move to introduce a new Constitution was an attempt to divert the people

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa has requested the Indian Government to take expeditious steps to secure the release of six fishermen belonging to Tamil Nadu captured by the Sri Lankan Navy, The Hindu newspaper reported.

The

Villagers in Mullativu held a protest on Monday, demanding the return of their lands which have been occupied by the Sri Lankan authorities under the controversial Mahaweli Development project. Villagers from Kokkulai, Kokkuthoduvai and Karunattukerni gathered in front of the Mullaitivu district secretariat demanding an end to the project, which has seen Sinhala settlers move to the Tamil North-East, in large scale colonisation projects.

An exiled Tamil journalist who was detained on Wednesday morning on arrival back to Sri Lanka was released on bail on Thursday, after spending over 24 hours in detention. The journalist, who had previously fled Sri Lanka, was detained at Katunayake airport. He is understood to have decided to return to Sri Lanka after receiving an invitation from the new government.

The highest percentage of school candidates that have qualified for university education from the advanced level examination of 2015 has been from Jaffna District, Examination Department sources said. According to Examination Department sources out of a total of 7,346 candidates who had sat for the examination from the Jaffna District, 4,872 of them had passed the said examination resulting in a 66.33 percentage. The lowest percentage has been recorded from Polonnaruwa District. In the Polonnaruwa District a total of 3,455 candidates had taken the examination of which only 1,961 had qualified for the university entrance, which has resulted in a 56.76 percentage.

The Chief Minister of Sri Lanka

India