Commissioner General of Examinations Anura Edirisinghe expresses belief results of the G.C.E. Advanced Level examination could be issued this week. Addressing a media briefing held at the Department of Examinations, he said the committee appointed to determine how the z-score levels should be issued for the A/Level results of the old and new syllabuses will be provided three seperate reports on issuing z-scores.
They are, issuing z-score for a certain subject, issuing z-score for three subjects and issuing z-score for a certain subject stream. The reports are to be submitted within tomorrow. Therefore, if the committee reach a decision on how to issue z-score within the next couple of days, the department would also be able to issue results within next week, the exam’s cheif said.
(JNW)
December 20, 2011 at 3:55 pm
25 out of 69 main tanks in the island are overflowing, Director General of Irrigation Department Dr. G.G.A. Godaliyadde said. All the tanks in Polonnaruwa area have reached spil level, he disclosed.
(JNW)
December 20, 2011 at 11:45 am
Seam bowler Nuwan Kulasekara won’t be joining Sri Lanka’s Test squad in South Africa and instead the uncapped Kanishka Alvitigala will fly out along with Dhammika Prasad ahead of the second Test in Durban.
Tillakaratne Dilshan, the Sri Lanka captain, had said that both Prasad and Kulasekara would be added to the touring party to bolster the pace-bowling options following Nuwan Pradeep’s injury, but the sports ministry hadn’t approved the selections and instead the nod has gone to Alvitigala. Kulasekara is likely to arrive for the one-day series next month.
Alvitigala, 25, has taken 51 first-class wickets at 32.35 in 25 matches with a career-best of 5 for 34 and has previously represented Sri Lanka A including on the tour to England earlier this year.
Sri Lanka’s pace-bowling options have been stretched to breaking point in recent months with a string of injuries to contend with. Before the tour of South Africa four seamers, including Prasad and Kulasekara, were ruled out with injury and Sri Lanka lost Pradeep after he broke down during the warm-up match in Benoni.
(ESPN)
December 19, 2011 at 9:09 pm
A tense situation has occured at UNP headquarters at ‘Sirikotha’. Our reporter said, supporters of MP Karu Jayasuriya are throwing stones towards it, expressing their displeasure over some of the results of the vote, held to elect the leader, deputy leader and the national organizer of UNP.
(JNW)
December 19, 2011 at 4:10 pm
Ranil Wickramasinghe has been re-elected as the leader of the United National Party. He received 66 votes while his counterpart Karu Jayasuriya was able to obatin 26 votes.
Former co-deputy leader of the party MP Sajith Premadasa was also re-elected as the deputy leader. Opposition leader of Eastern Provincial Council Daya Gamage was appointed as the new national organizer of UNP.
They were elected from a secret vote held at the UNP headquarters ‘Sirikotha’ today(19) after the meeting of the working committee of the party ended without reaching a consensus.
(JNW)
December 19, 2011 at 3:50 pm
North Koreans are in mourning after the death of their leader, Kim Jong-il. People wept openly on the streets of the capital, Pyongyang. State media said he had suffered a heart attack on Saturday, aged 69. He had been unwell.
The official news agency KCNA described one of his sons, Kim Jong-un, as the “great successor” whom North Koreans should unite behind.
Mr Kim’s death was announced in an emotional statement on national television.
The announcer, wearing black, struggled to keep back the tears as she said he had died of physical and mental over-work.
KCNA later reported that he had died of a “severe myocardial infarction along with a heart attack” at 08:30 local time on Saturday (23:30 GMT Friday).
He had been on a train at the time, for one of his “field guidance” tours, KCNA said.
The state news agency said a funeral would be held in Pyongyang on 28 December and Kim Jong-un would head the funeral committee. A period of national mourning has been declared from 17 to 29 December.
(BBC)
December 19, 2011 at 11:14 am
Sri Lanka have called up fast bowlers Nuwan Kulasekara and Dhammika Prasad to their Test squad for the remaining two matches against South Africa. Captain Tillakaratne Dilshan confirmed that the the pair will fly in to South Africa in “a couple of days” after competing in the knockout stages of the domestic tournament at home.
After being beaten by an innings and 81 runs in Centurion, Sri Lanka are searching for ways to come back into the series and beefing up the bowling department is one of them. Before the tour of South Africa, four seamers, including Prasad and Kulasekara were ruled out with injury and Sri Lanka lost another quick when Nuwan Pradeep broke down during the tour match against the South African Invitation XI. At the time, the selectors did not name a replacement because they were hopeful that some of the injured lot would recover in time for the series.
Prasad was injured last month in a Test match against Pakistan in Sharjah. He pulled a quad muscle after bowling four overs in the first innings and was ruled out of the one-day series which followed. He made his comeback in Sri Lanka’s domestic Premier Limited Over tournament on Wednesday, where he took 3 for 30 for Sinhalese Cricket Club. He also played in Saturday’s final, although he had little success and finished with figures of 10-1-59-0.
Kulasekara had not played any cricket since October but returned to action this week. He played in the semi-final of the fifty-over domestic tournament and made an impressive return with 2 for 37 in seven overs for Colts Cricket Club against Nondescripts. Colts were knocked out of the competition, meaning Kulasekara did not have any other match practice.
Meanwhile, Angelo Mathews is expected to recover from a groin strain which kept him off the field during the Test match. Matthews left the field midway through the second day and went for an MRI scan, which revealed that the injury was not serious. He returned to field and batted on the third day and will have eight days to recover before the second Test, which starts on December 26, in Durban.
(ESPN)
December 18, 2011 at 9:14 pm
MPs Sajith Premadasa and Ravi Karunanayake will contest for the remaining Deputy Leader post of United National Party, sources said. The voting is scheduled to be held tomorrow(19).
(JNW)
December 18, 2011 at 3:02 pm
MP Dayasiri Jayasekara & Opposition Leader of Eastern Provincial Council Daya Gamage will contest for the National Organizer post of the United National Party, sources said. The voting will be held tomorrow(19).
(JNW)
December 18, 2011 at 3:00 pm
MP Gamini Jayawickrama Perera has been appointed as the Chairman of the United National Party, party sources said. Furthermore, MP Joseph Michael Perera has been elected as one of the Deputy Leaders of the UNP, unchallenged.
(JNW)
December 18, 2011 at 2:30 pm
Ranil Wickramasinghe and Karu Jayasuriya will contest for the post of leadership the United National Party, party sources said. The voting will take place at ’Sirikotha’ at 1.00 p.m. tomorrow.
(JNW)
December 18, 2011 at 2:05 pm
Deputy Leader of the United National Party Karu Jayasuriya has signed the nomination papers to contest for the post of leadership of the party.
(JNW)
December 18, 2011 at 12:00 pm
South Africa overwhelmed a brittle Sri Lanka by an innings and 81 runs at Centurion with victory sealed before tea on the third day when Vernon Philander claimed his tenth wicket of the match. The home side’s bowlers needed just 39.1 overs to dismantle the opposition batting line-up for a second time to reinforce the pre-series predictions that this could be a very one-sided contest.
Sri Lanka’s cricket has taken a worrying nosedive since they finished runners up at the World Cup. Even then there were rumblings of discontent and now their on-field performances are suffering. This limp second innings followed previous collapses this year against England at Cardiff (82), Australia at Galle (105) and further problems in UAE against Pakistan. There is no shame in being beaten by South Africa at Centurion – this was their 13th victory in 17 Tests at the venue – but Sri Lanka barely put up a fight. Across two innings the batting lasted 86.5 overs; less than a day’s play.
Philander continued to pile up the records with match figures of 10 for 102 to make it four five-wicket hauls in six Test innings. Dale Steyn could easily have had a bagful himself with probing late swing at pace and he regularly beat the outside edge. Morne Morkel continued to be a concern with another erratic display but produced a rising delivery to remove Thilan Samaraweera which will have been a confidence booster. South Africa were also gifted Mahela Jayawardene’s wicket when he contrived to run himself out trying for a run that would have taken him to 10,000 in Test cricket. The confusion summed up Sri Lanka’s state of mind.
South Africa 411 (de Villiers 99, Boucher 65, Smith 61) beat Sri Lanka 180 (Philander 5-53, Steyn 4-18) and 150 (Philander 5-49) by an innings and 81 runs
(ESPN)
December 17, 2011 at 6:45 pm
Results of the G.C.E Advanced Level results will be definitely issued on Monday(19), Deputy Minister of Education Gamini Vijith Wijayamuni Zoysa told the parliament today(17). Minister of Higher Education S.B. Dissanayake yesterday said the Advanced Level results may be released on Monday(19).
However, when contacted Commissioner General of Examinations Anura Edirisinghe said the results will not be released on Monday(19).
(JNW)
December 17, 2011 at 10:00 am
It wasn’t all one-way traffic on the second day in Centurion but South Africa ended in a very commanding position, having built a lead of 209 with AB de Villiers’ 99 the cornerstone of their innings. He and Ashwell Prince added a crucial 97-run stand for the sixth wicket, which was supplemented by a useful hand from the under-pressure Mark Boucher, after Sri Lanka had hauled themselves back into the contest with a spirited display .
The difference in the quality of the attacks was on stark display because even though Sri Lanka had periods where they were on top, they couldn’t sustain pressure throughout. When Jacques Kallis, who had taken a nasty blow on the helmet from Dilhara Fernando before lunch, was caught at third slip South Africa were 173 for 5 and an even contest wasn’t far away. However, despite a number of near-misses the visitors couldn’t strike again until the lead was close to three figures and Boucher’s unbeaten 49 ensured there was no way back for Sri Lanka. By the close the last five wickets had added 216.
Sri Lanka were convinced they had de Villiers caught behind on 69 – when the score was 273 for 6 – off Angelo Mathews, who had just removed Prince to offer a glimmer of hope. Tillakaratne Dilshan immediately asked for a review. There was a faint, and very short-lived, mark on the inside edge shown by Hot Spot but not enough conclusive evidence to overturn the on-field decision. Dilshan’s reaction suggested he thought otherwise.
By the time de Villiers was removed, slashing low to point one short of his 13th Test hundred, South Africa were forging ahead. de Villiers’ dismissal was notable, however, as the batsman took the fielder’s word that the ball had carried; it was the type of catch third umpires have often turned down.
Given that the pitch retained plenty of help for the pace bowlers it was an exceptional innings from de Villiers who reined in his natural instincts, with his fifty taking 91 balls. He gained some criticism for being over aggressive against Australia but judged the requirements perfectly on this occasion, yet never missed an opportunity to score whether through sweet straight driving or powerful pulling.
South Africa 389 for 9 (de Villiers 99, Boucher 49*, Tahir 24*) lead Sri Lanka 180 by 209 runs
(ESPN)
December 16, 2011 at 10:15 pm
Cut off marks required to enter popular schools based on Grade 5 scholarship Sinhala medium examination results will be issued on Monday, the Ministry of Education said. The cut off marks to enter popular schools based on Grade 5 scholarship Tamil medium examination results will be released after December 25, the Ministry added.
(JNW)
December 16, 2011 at 3:10 pm
Final report of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission has been presented to the parliament by the Leader of the House Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva. Speaking at the occassion the Minister said, the government has already taken measures with regard to some recommendations mentioned in the report.
The commission has pointed out that all parties should act united to take decisions with regard to the recommendations made by it. Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva stated that the government totally agrees with it.
The commission has also submitted several valuable suggestions with regard to land disputes. The government has already given priority for the resettlement of IDPs and providing basic facilities to them. All families displaced owing to the conflict will be resettled in their native places. The government also accepts LLRC proposal to appoint a national land commission. Furthermore, it will totally ban the private possession of illegal weapons as well.
(JNW)
December 16, 2011 at 10:39 am
