Rihanna was the musical guest on last night's 'Saturday Night Live,' hosted by Anne Hathaway.

The singer premiered "Stay," a new song off her upcoming album, "Unapologetic."While the song usually features Mikky Ekko, Rihanna sang it solo.

We know you spent all weekend crying over the news that Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez have broken up -- and likely so did the Biebs.

On Friday, multiple sources confirmed that the couple, who had been dating for nearly two years, called it quits about a week ago. Sources also claim it was the 20-year-old actress who decided it was time to end the relationship, in part because of their "crazy schedules" and because she had major "trust issues" with Bieber.

Bieber was already rumored to have moved on with Victoria Secret model Barbara Palvin, who he took to see "The Lion King" on Broadway, though the model was quick to deny it.

The breakup seems to have Bieber thrown for a loop. In an interview with Open House Party on Nov. 10, he neither confirmed nor denied the split, telling radio host John Garabedian, "I don't know what to say. I don't know what's going on in my life. To even assess that it doesn't make sense 'cause I have not made any comment."

Bieber seemed more than a little annoyed by the question about the breakup, but some of his recent tweets definitely sound like those of a man who was recently dumped.

"Thank you Boston. Focused on the positive. #30MillionBeliebers with me. I'm never leaving you because you are always there for me," the 18-year-old singer tweeted after his concert on Nov. 11.

But all hope may not be lost, as sources have told TMZ that couple known as "Jelena" might not be totally dunzo. Bieber reportedly wants to give it another go, and it could happen since they've broken up several times before.

While Bieber may want Gomez back, we have a feeling there is more to their breakup than meets the eye. Shortly after news of the breakup hit on Friday night, several of Gomez's "Wizards of Waverly Place" cast members chimed in on Twitter to support their girl.

Actor David Deluise, who play's Gomez' on-screen father, is clearly very dad-like off-screen as well. "All woman should be treated with respect! Listen up boy @selenagomez," he wrote and posted a photo of himself and Gomez. Meanwhile, Gomez' on-screen mother played by Maria Canals-Barrera, also tweeted support for the actress: "With my beautiful, talented and STRONG @selenagomez on our last day of filming the #WizardReunionSpecial"

And it's not just her on-screen parents who have her back either. Actress Jennifer Stone, who plays Gomez' quirky BFF, tweeted, "That's why you don't rob the cradle, because babe's be trippin."

All of this leads us to believe they may never, ever get back together.

INDIA: Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said the economic “gloom and doom” clouding the country in recent years has been dispelled and that he is determined to push ahead with further reforms. In a speech on Saturday evening in Mumbai, Singh said that in 2006, 10 percent annual growth looked “eminently achievable” and “the sense of optimism was all pervading”.

But he admitted that since then, Indian exports have shrunk and the fiscal deficit has gone up.

“Growth decelerated to 6.5 percent last year and may be only around six percent in the current year,” he said. “This has dampened investor sentiment.

“Doubts are being raised in some quarters about the India growth story going astray,” he said at a corporate function organised by the Economic Times.

Singh vowed that a raft of reforms announced in September would revive the economy and attract foreign investment, with more policy changes in the pipeline.

“We have dispelled gloom and doom, improved the climate for foreign investment (and) are working hard to restore investor confidence and the growth environment,” Singh told business leaders in Mumbai, India's financial capital.

In a strongly-worded speech, Singh said that his government “bit the bullet” when introducing recent reforms, including to the retail sector that will allow global chains such as Walmart and Tesco to open branches for the first time.

The move has attracted fierce opposition, and many Indian states may still act to keep out giant supermarkets to protect small shop owners.

“Some of the steps were considered by many of our critics as politically impossible.

“We bit the bullet and did what we felt was the right thing to do,” Singh said. “Undoubtedly, more needs to be done.” The reforms have already cost the ruling coalition its parliamentary majority with the exit of an allied party that has threatened to bring a no-confidence motion against the government when parliament reopens later this month.

AFP

IRAN: Iran on Saturday brushed aside newly-imposed US sanctions over media censorship, which it said was essential to preserve “moral values” in the Islamic republic. Dismissing them as “unimportant”, Islamic Culture and Guidance Minister Mohammad Hosseini said the sanctions “against the ministry and the press watchdog are the gift of the new American administration,” Mehr news agency reported.

The United States on Thursday sanctioned his ministry for closing down newspapers and detaining journalists.

State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said Washington was determined to stop the “Iranian government from creating an 'electronic curtain' to cut Iranian citizens off from the rest of the world.” But Hosseini was dismissive.

“We do not want the American version of freedom. We cannot tolerate the break of moral values in Islamic countries ... The press watchdog is a source of pride for us,” he said.

Iran's notorious press watchdog has banned several publications, mostly reformist journals, for breaching its strict regulations since the disputed 2009 re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

AFP

PAKISTAN: Pakistan marked “Malala Day” Saturday on a global day of support for the teenager shot by the Taliban for promoting girls’ education, but in her home town security fears meant her schoolmates could not honour her in public.

Taliban hitmen shot Malala Yousafzai on her school bus a month ago in Mingora in Pakistan’s northwestern Swat Valley, in a cold-blooded murder attempt for the “crime” of campaigning for girls’ rights to go to school.

Miraculously the 15-year-old survived and her courage has won the hearts of millions around the world, prompting the United Nations to declare Saturday a “global day of action” for her.

People around the world held vigils and demonstrations honouring Malala and calling for the 32 million girls worldwide who are denied education to be allowed to go to school.

Demonstrations backing Malala took place in Islamabad, Karachi, the eastern city of Lahore and Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, and Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf saluted Malala’s courage.

But in Mingora, the threat of further Taliban reprisals cast a fearful shadow, and students at Malala’s Khushal Public School were forced to honour her in private.

“We held a special prayer for Malala today in our school assembly and also lit candles,” school principal Mariam Khalid told AFP. “We did not organise any open event because our school and its students still face a security threat.” Though their bid to kill Malala failed, the Taliban have said they will attack any woman who stands against them. Fears are so great that Khalid said even speaking to the media could put students’ lives in danger.

Two of Malala’s friends were wounded in the attempt on her life and one, 16-year-old Kainaat Riaz, said she was still haunted by memories of the attack.

“I am still terrified. I still get tears in my eyes whenever I think of that incident. I saw Malala in the pool of blood in front of me with my eyes,” she told AFP.

Shazia Ramzan, 13, spent a month in hospital after being shot in the shoulder during the attack, but she said it had made her even more determined to go to school.

AFP

The people of Moratuwa are not only crazy about this noble game, but they have a thorough knowledge of the subject, they love and always enjoy a good game of cricket, they expect fairplay and sportsmanship on and off the field. Since the introduction of the game people who have wielded the willow and thousands of Moratuwites who have never held a bat enjoy every minute of the game. They discuss cricket, read about the game, watch and some may be dreaming cricket. Cricket is a way of life for Moratuwites.

Two school cricketers of this cricket crazy town have brought honour to their schools, St Sebastian’s College and Moratu Vidyalaya by being the Runner-up of the All Island Schools and the Outstation Schools in the recently conducted Observer Schoolboy Cricketer contest of the year 2012.

They are captains of St Sebastian’s College and Moratu Vidyalaya both are fine all rounders of the game Amila Aponso and Sanka Ramesh respectively. Amila represented Sri Lanka Schools under 19 team earlier and for the under 19 world cup this year too.

Sanka who performed well in all departments of the game for two consecutive years and in the under 23 inter-club cricket tournament conducted by Sri Lanka Cricket was unlucky for not getting selected for the world cup team and no one knows why he was not picked and it is not very clear that how Moratu Vidyalaya is rated as an outstation school as they are playing inter-school matches with the leading schools and has performed well during the past.

It has gone something wrong somewhere when the groupings were done. It is high time the authorities concerned look into this grave injustice.

Amila has been representing his alma-mater for four years and a coloursman and he was a member of the Big Match winning team 2011 against Cambrians. He is a left arm orthodox leg spin bowler and a top order batsman. Last year he took 107 wickets and scored 582 runs. He joined the select band of Sebestianites who took more than 100 wickets.

The others who claimed more than hundred wickets are Ajith Cooray and Nimesh Perera twice. This year under his captaincy the big match was a tame draw and he led Sebs to victory in the limited overs game.

Sanka commenced his cricket career at De Soysa Maha Vidyalaya, Angulana, Moratuwa and his first coach was Sabu Weerasuriya. When he joined Moratu Vidyalaya, his talents were picked up immediately by Prasanna Dissanayake who was the coach of Ajantha Mendis at Vidyalaya.

In the year 2011 and 2012 he claimed 103 wickets each and year 2011 he scored 1,167 runs and leading his alma-mater in 2012 scored more than 900 runs.

He is undoubtedly the best allround cricketer produced from vidyalaya during their 78 year old cricket history. Also he joined the one thousand brigade with the other illustrious cricketers who passed the thousand mark. He had one of the best performances against St Sebastians when he scored a century and took a match bag of ten wickets.

In the game with Zahira College he scored 215 runs in the second innings and saved his school from certain defeat and thus he joins the two hundred brigade along with Ranjith Fernando, Chandana Mahesh (twice), Lucky Rogers, Dammika Wickramanayake, Sampath Perera, Amal Peiris and Chatura Hemakumara.

In his first year itself playing for Singhalese Sports Club he took 29 wickets with a match bag of 10 for 87 vs Colombo Cricket Club.

Both of them have left their schools and representing club cricket and our fervent wish is they will play for their country very soon which is the sole ambition of any young cricketer.

We salute these two young cricketers for bringing honour and glory not only to their respective schools but to their native town Moratuwa.

Now that the Sri Lankan cricketers have wrapped up the one-day series against New Zealand 3-1, the final game at the Sooriyawewa Stadium will be a hit about for the Lankans today. But it will do Sri Lanka cricket a lot of good if they can win the final game and go 4- up. It will also give Lankans the confidence they need to whack the Kiwis in the Two Test matches with the first one beginning at the Galle Stadium on Saturday.

The Lankans will now have the opportunity of making changes, resting their seniors and giving those who haven’t played a chance to showcase their talent.

Sri Lanka won the Fourth one-day game in convincing fashion with leg spinning all rounder Jeevan Mendis being the star performer with 3 for 15. He varied his deliveries well and was rewarded.

Then when Sri Lanka chased victory, Dinesh Chandimal having a knock after a long time made 43 in 65 balls. Kumar Sangakkara gave him good support making 42 not out. Earlier Upul Tharanga smashed 27 in 28 balls. Surprisingly the Kiwi batting could not withstand the pressure put on them and could make only 131 in a game reduced to 32 overs because of rain. Only Brendon McCullum 30, and Kane Williamson and James Franklin 21 each showed form.

Now that the series has been lost the Kiwis will be pushing to win the final game and save face.

Y A Nuwan Dulantha of Colombo and G G Manomi Kumari of Ampara took the men’s and women’s cycling titles at the 24th National Youth Sports Festival on Saturday. The Cycling, Race walking and Marathon events were worked off at Matara over the week end.

The Men’s cycling race covered a distance of 102.6 kilometers commencing opposite the Jayasuriya grounds in Matara and passing through Thihagoda, Kamburupitiya, Kirinda Puhulwella, Hakmana, Denagama, Walasmulla, Weeraketiya, Thangalla, Dickwella, Gandara , Devinuwara and finished opposite the Jayasuriya grounds. About 80 cyclists faced the starter and the majority stuck together until Tangalla. With 40 kilometers to go the leading five broke away from the pack and held their lead till the end.

The women’s race which was 50.6 kilometers started at the Jayasuriya grounds and passed through Thihagoda, Kamburupitiya, Kirinda Puhulwella, Yatiyana, Hakmana and finished at Matara. 12 cyclists faced the starter in the women’s event and Manomi Kumari led from the start.

A A D S Madhusanka of Kaluthara won the marathon event for men covering a distance of 42.195 kilometers in a time of 2 hours 44 minutes and one second. W M B Ruwani Nisansal covered the 21.0975 kilometer course in one hour twenty six minutes and forty five seconds to take first place. D M Maheshika Madushani was second with a time of 1:29.19. The delayed start resulted in the competitors having to endure the hot sun at the end.

Cycling - men’s

1. Y A Nuwan Dulantha - Colombo, 2.K G A Priyantha Jayalal- Hambanthota, 3.Ranjeewa Perera - Colombo

Cycling – women’s

1. G G Manomi Kumari -Ampara, 2. Ishara Nilmini – Anuradhapura, 3.A M Dinesha Dilrukshi - Puttlam

Race walking – men’s (over 20 years)

1. M D Sampath -Matara, 2. K P Dhanushka Sampath -Galle, 3. K G S K Abeyrathna-Kurunegala

Race walking – men’s (under 20 years)

1. S Chathuranga -Matara, 2.D W Pradeep Madhusanka- Hambanthota, 3.B L M Kumara - Monaragala

Race walking – women’s (above 20 years)

1. T H Dinusha -Galle, 2. S P Malkanthi Deshapriya – Hambanthota, 3.AM Indira Priyadarshani-Monaragala

Race walking – women’s (under 20 years)

1. P B Gayana -Matara, 2.P P Ayanthi Jayawickrema-Kurunegala, 3. J K M M Dhamayanthi -Monaragala

Marathon (men)

1. A A D S Madhusanka - Kaluthara 2:44.01, 2. G A R Wasantha Kumara – Galle, 3. R M A Y Iranga Rathnayaka -Badulla

Marathon (women)

1. W M B Ruwani Nisansala- Puttlam 1:26.45, 2. D M Maheshika Madushani - Kurunegala 1:29.19, 3. A M Disna - Badulla 1:32.24

D M E D K Fernando of Sri Lanka Army emerged the best athlete and was awarded the N Vyrawananthan Memorial Challenge Cup in the 90th National Athletics Championships concluded at the Sugathadasa Stadium yesterday.

Fernando's performance in the men's triple jump where he leapt 16.37 metres and established a new Sri Lankan record on the second day of the meet also brought him the Wilton Bartleet Challenge Cup for the best male athlete.

N M Champika Dilrukshi of Sri Lanka Army and Airwoman Eranga Dulakshi were adjudged the best athletes in the female category. On the first day, Eranga clocked 10:11.72 minutes to set up a new Sri Lanka record in women's 3000 metres steeple chase . Dilrukshi was awarded for her performance in the women's 800 metres where she set up a new meet record by finishing the event in 2:04.97 minutes also on the second day.

The three day event concluded with two new Sri Lankan records, five new meet records,one equalizer which were set up by athletes from the Tri Forces except for one record set up by Priyangika Madumanthi of Kurunegala District AA in the women's high jump.

Three women athletes also recorded better timing than the previous record in the women's 800 metres and 1500 metres.

Yesterday in the women's pole vault, R A A Karunawansa of Sri Lanka Navy equalized the previous record of Airwoman K A K L Perera, a height of 3.20 metres which she established last year.

D A S Samanmali of Sri Lanka Air Force who clocked 4:21.97 minutes in the women's 1500 metres set up the only new meet record on the final day. She erased the last year record of another Airwoman, W K L A Nimali's timing of 4:26.25 minutes . G T A Abeyratna of Sri Lanka Navy who finished second also bettered last the timing of Nimali.

W K D S Perera of Sri Lanka Air Force won the gold medal in the decathlon by securing 5885 points while R D Gunasinghe of Sri Lanka Army won the silver with 5718 points. Airman D C Wickramaratne win the bronze with 5571 points.

In the heptathlon, B A S Ayesha of Sri Lanka police collected 3731 points to win the gold. K M K N A Fernando of Sri Lanka Air Force secured the silver with 3662 points while her team mate P S M De Zoysa won the bronze with 3392 points.

Results of the final day

Men's events

20 Km race walk

1. T G S N Appuhami ( SLAF- 1:39:28.40 hrs), 2. S K A C Fernando ( SLArmy - 1:42:05.75 hrs), 3. M D Sampath ( SLNavy- 1:50:52.46 hrs )

Javelin Throw

1. R P V L Dayarathna ( SL Army - 73.27 metres), 2. R M S J Ranasinghe ( SLAF- 68.13 metres ), 3. D S Ranasinghe ( SL Army - 68.09 metres)

1500 metres

1. P H Chamal ( SL Army - 3:52.02 minutes ), 2. M K G A Nissanka Kumara ( SL Army - 3:52.06 minutes ), 3. K P Ruwan Kumara ( SL Army - 3:54.78 minutes )

Long Jump

1. W M P Weerakkodi ( SL Army - 7.35 metres ), 2. J P S Fernando ( Lanka Lions Sports Club- 7.32 metres ), 3. R A E Sanjeewa ( S L Army - 7.25 metres )

100 metres

1. W K Himasha Eashan ( Sri Lanka Schools AA- 10.50 seconds ), 2. M S M Safran ( SL Army - 10.68 seconds ), 3. B R A Hasaranga ( SL Army - 10.77 seconds )

400 metres

1. Y M W G A M Gunaratne ( SLAF- 47.26 seconds ), 2. W A D C D Aloka ( SLAF- 47.25 seconds ), 3. K K K Senaviratne ( SL Navy - 47.56 seconds )

5000 metres

1. D L Samarajeewa ( SL Army- 14:45.61 minutes), 2. N M C C Nawasinghe ( SLAF- 15:04.52 minutes ), 3. W W K Weerasinghe ( SL Navy - 15:21.32 minutes )

Women's events

20 Km race walk

1. Geetha Nandani ( Kalutara District AA - 1:55:04.57 hrs ), 2. P B Gayani ( SL Army - 2:01:28.06 hrs ), 3. L M M S Jayaratne ( SL Army - 2:01:38.73 hrs )

Pole vault

1. R A A Karunawansa ( S L Navy - 3.20 metres -EMR), 2. R R S C Dilrukshi ( Kandy District AA - 3.10 metres, 3. K A K L Perera ( SLAF- 3.10 metres )

Hammer throw

1. A W A C Amarasinghe ( SL Army - 38.16 metres ), 2. G J A Galhena ( SL Army - 35.94 metres ), 3. G F Hassim ( SLA F - 34.39 metres )

100 metres

1. H J C C Silva ( SL Navy - 11.85 seconds ), 2. H P S Buddika ( SL AF -11.87 seconds ), 3. P D Y N Abeywickrama ( SLAF - 12.19 seconds )

1500 metres

1. D A S Samanmali ( SLAF- 4:21.97 minutes NMR ), 2. G T A Abeyratne ( SL Navy - 4:21.98 minutes BPR ), 3. N A Rajasekara ( SL Navy - 4:36.55 minutes )

400 metres

1. R M C S Rasnayake ( SLAF- 54.63 seconds ), 2. U G D Sandamali ( SLAF- 55.12 seconds ), 3. B D G Pathma Kumari ( SL Army - 55.65 seconds )

Illegal drug trafficking in Sri Lanka is on the rise. Heroin and cannabis are the most common drugs seized in the country with 80 percent of these drugs finding their way via the sea route, Sri Lanka Coast Guard Director General Rear Admiral Ruwan Dias said.

The Sri Lanka Coast Guard (SLCG) has a vital role to play in preventing these illegal drugs from coming into the country, he said.

Prevention of trans-boundary movement of narcotics is one of the main responsibilities of the SLCG.

Prevention of illegal fishing, human trafficking and piracy are the other main responsibilities, he said. The SLCG was established in 2009 by Coast Guard Act No 41 of 2009 according to a concept of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Since then it has been entrusted with a number of responsibilities such as law enforcement in the coastal areas, territorial waters and maritime zones of Sri Lanka and high seas, providing assistance to the Customs and other authorities in counter smuggling operations and border management, cooperating with law enforcement agencies and Armed Forces by taking measures for the suppression of terrorist in maritime zones, he said

Two constables, a sergeant and a Civil Defence officer of Moragahahena Police Station were interdicted following a clash between villagers of Yahalakale Estate in Horana and members of the Moragahahena Police on Saturday night. The Police had gone to investigate a case of child abuse at the estate and an argument ensued between the Police and villagers.

This led to a clash between the two factions resulting in three police officers and eight villagers being hospitalised.

Some of the injured are receiving treatment at the Horana Hospital Intensive Care Unit.

The villagers complained that the policemen were under the influence of liquor and assaulted them. Four police officers were interdicted on the orders of Horana ASP Abeyratna Dissanayaka. Investigations are continuing.

This Budget has given much relief to the people at grassroot level and it helps promote investment. That is why Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe avoided giving any comments regarding the budget, Cooperatives and Internal Trade Minister Johnston Fernando said.

He said that the Opposition leader might have understood the salient features in the budget that would give impetus for the country’s development and that may be the reason why he refused to make any comments over the budget.

Speaking at the 2012 Convocation of the Association of Accounting Technicians of Sri Lanka (AATSL) at the BMICH yesterday, Minister Fernando said that all segments of the society have been benefited by the budget.

He said that President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s practical and pragmatic policies helped achieve many objectives in the economic field.

He opined that the UNP leadership and the party lacked this practicality. This lacuna was clearly visible after the people rejected the UNP government in a short span of two and half years, he said.

Fernando said that the government has provided relief to a vast range of sectors from agriculture to investment.

“This budget is a relief to almost all sectors closely connected to the country’s development process. The farmers to investors are reaping the benefits from this budget, he said.

The minister said that some segments with well-known origin alleged the government that it would fail in the management of country’s economy after the government succeeded in eradicating terrorism.

“These cynical elements scoffed at the government when it took vibrant decisions for the uplift of agriculture, investment and many other sectors. He said that the government has made many achievements in the field of economy despite these aspersions.

“Sri Lanka has seen tremendous development in the field of economy under the able and dynamic leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa”, he said.

He said that the 2013 budget has created conducive atmosphere for the investment to thrive. Minister Fernando added that ample employment opportunities are available for the AAT fellows.

He said that most of AAT qualified left the State sector as salaries for accountants and account technicians are low in state sector compared to private sector. He said that the cutting edge technological knowledge should be introduced to the AAT fellows.

The minister said that the Act to incorporate the Association of Accounting Technicians of Sri Lanka would be presented to parliament in January giving more legal recognition to the Association.

“This institution is not a burden to the government”. Fernando noted that the government faces challenges in finding employment to those who qualify for the university entrance.

He said that a minimum percentage of students are admitted to universities and the government faces enormous challenges in providing employment to the rest.

Higher Education Ministry Secretary Dr. Sunil Jayantha Navaratne. Association Presdent Ganaka Amarasinghe and Secretary and the chairman of the membership committee Sunil Wanigabadu were also present.

* With the Judiciary supposed to be ‘free of Executive influence’ here in Sri Lanka, we see how that is not so in ‘liberal America.’

* Four of the justices currently seated on the U.S. Supreme Court are in their 70s.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama’s election victory on Tuesday may give him the opportunity to deepen his liberal imprint on the U.S. Supreme Court.

A Harvard law graduate who taught constitutional law, Obama, a Democrat, named two liberals to the high court during his first four-year term.

With his re-election, the retirement of one or more justices in the next four years could preserve the present ideological balance or, more significantly, move the bench to the left.

The court’s nine justices are selected for life and their appointments can rank among a president’s most enduring legacies.

Four are in their 70s. Two - Ruth Bader Ginsburg, 79, and Stephen Breyer, 74 - are liberals. Two - Antonin Scalia and Anthony Kennedy, both 76 - are conservatives. The biggest shake-up would come if either of the last two stepped down.

A swing in the liberal direction could foster a new receptiveness to campaign finance regulation. The five-justice conservative majority, led by Chief Justice John Roberts, has ruled against such regulation, most notably in the 2010 Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission dispute.

The chance of more muscle on the left in the future could influence conservative justices today, tempting them to be more forceful or, alternatively, more willing to compromise with liberals.

“I would bet on the shoot-the-moon option,” said Harvard law professor Mark Tushnet, predicting that conservatives would be more aggressive knowing their chances to prevail could diminish if Obama made new appointments.

Washington lawyer Michael Carvin, who argues regularly before the court, including last term against the Obama healthcare law, said the possibility of a leftward shift was unlikely to affect conservatives’ votes but could prompt them to seek to resolve hot-button cases sooner rather than later.

“If anything, it would make them more anxious to resolve contentious questions rather than kick them down the road,” he said.

Carvin, who represents a set of challengers to a key voting-rights law, said conservatives might be more willing now to take cases protesting the requirement that states with a history of discrimination obtain federal approval for electoral changes.

The five conservative justices have signaled their resistance to the provision and other race-based policies.

Carvin said they might want to address the matter now “rather than in the future when you’re not sure what the court would be like.”

Supreme Court departures, like many of its cases, defy prediction. It is not unusual for justices to stay in their jobs into their 80s or beyond.

The last retirement was in 2010 when Justice John Paul Stevens, then aged 90, stepped down. For decades, speculation about his retirement had been the stuff of election-year news stories.

Before him, Justice David Souter left at age 69 in 2009. Chief Justice William Rehnquist died in office, at age 80, in 2005. Justice Sandra Day O’Connor retired in 2006 at 75, leaving earlier than expected to care for her husband who suffered from Alzheimer’s disease.

No matter who exits and who enters, the court can be expected to stay tightly divided on many social-policy dilemmas. A majority is likely to remain supportive of the rights of gay men and lesbians, although it is impossible to predict how the justices would rule on same-sex marriage.

It is now certain the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, which made abortion legal nationwide and is supported by the current majority, will endure for at least four more years.

The current nine justices are divided politically as well as ideologically. Conservatives Roberts, Scalia, Kennedy, Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito were appointed by Republican presidents. Liberals Ginsburg, Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan were named by Democrats.

Ginsburg, who has survived colorectal and pancreatic cancer, said in an August interview with Reuters that her health was good. She undergoes regular check-ups and works with a personal trainer.

Appointed in 1993 by President Bill Clinton, she has vowed to remain on the bench at least three more years, to match the record of Justice Louis Brandeis, one of her judicial heroes, who retired at age 82 in 1939, after nearly 23 years.

But she has added, “You have to take it year by year.”

The Universal Periodic Review has come, and gone, and as usual there seems to be general satisfaction in Sri Lanka as to how it went. I have no doubt that the generally excellent team sent from Sri Lanka performed well, and gave sensible answers to the questions raised.

What is sad, though, is that the Review seems to have become an end in itself. Some of the blame for this should go to a few organizations who see this as a chance to attack Sri Lanka, whereas the original conception of the UPR was that it would provide an opportunity for all stakeholders to work together to improve the Human Rights situation in the country under review.

It is in that spirit that Sri Lanka should approach the Review, and this was what I thought happened last time round, in 2008. On that occasion we made a number of voluntary pledges, and then accepted several of the recommendations made by other countries. I believe that was done sincerely, and certainly we made a great effort to move on many matters, ranging from formulation of a National Action Plan and a Bill or Rights, to training for the Police, and of course the fantastic effort we made with regard to resettlement of the displaced.

However several matters fell by the wayside. A good reason for this – though it should have spurred us to greater efforts after the emergency situation had passed – was the continuation of the conflict and the problems caused by the large numbers the Tigers had held hostage, who had to be rescued and nursed back to health, and resettled with basic facilities. A not so good reason was the abolishment of a dedicated Ministry for Human Rights. As a result the pledges made could not be pursued consistently.

I am not sure of the reasons for this fateful omission. I was told that Human Rights would be looked after by the Foreign Ministry, but this did not happen, and the Secretary to that Ministry told me categorically that the Ministry did not have the capacity to take on the responsibility. He said that it could deal with the international dimension, but even this did not happen. Whereas previously we had responded promptly to any communication from UN special procedures in Geneva, after 2010 many queries were left unanswered. The Secretary, indeed, told me he thought replied had been sent, but the officers who had moved from our Ministry to the Foreign Ministry, and found little support there, told me nothing had been done. This is reflected in the reports on Sri Lanka that have been presented since by mandate holders such as the Working Group on Involuntary Disappearances.

Thus we find that, amongst the questions posed to us this time round, by the United Kingdom, is one about investigation of the 5.653 open cases on record. Not having looked at the statistics recently, I cannot be sure, but I believe many of these relate to the 90s, and that there have not been many additions to the record in recent years. I would also think that these additions relate to the period of conflict, and not the last couple of years. But, whatever the situation, we should clarify the position, and investigate recent cases.

With regard to the individual cases of recent years, we should ask the police to expedite action, and issue regular updates. And, for disappearances during the last phase of the conflict, we should, as enjoined also by the LLRC, set in place thorough mechanisms to collate information and provide closure where possible to the bereaved.

Unfortunately, perhaps understandably given the many unfair charges flung at us, we see the problem as one which requires defence mechanisms, not increased efforts to get at the truth if possible. As a result, it is assumed that we have something to hide, whereas in most cases it is clear that there was no culpability as far as our forces went for the deaths that occurred.

The assumption that we have something to hide is increased by a lack of precision on our part. The BBC correspondent Charles Haviland has noted, and tweeted, that Minister Samarasinghe says the military court investigating allegations, presumably with regard to disappearances of those who surrendered, has five members and met 30 times, while former Attorney General Mohan Peiris says it has seven members and met 50 times.

Doubtless there is a simple enough explanation for this, but it should be provided, and senior representatives of government should ensure that they have precise knowledge of the facts and share information with each other. We cannot allow ourselves to be irritated by the fact that many so-called stakeholders are more concerned with denigrating Sri Lanka than improving our Human Rights situation. The bottom line is that people have died or disappeared, and it is our responsibility to address the grief of those who have been bereaved, assuage it as possible, and ensure closure with regard to the uncertainties that the war engendered.

It is in that spirit of responsibility that I hope we will build on whatever occurred at the UPR. While we must deal firmly with unfair allegations, we must recognize that, as with every other country, there is room for improvement. We should therefore immediately set up a mechanism to fulfil the pledges we have made and implement the recommendations we have accepted.

There is no substitute for this purpose to a dedicated Ministry. Mahinda Samarasinghe has dealt fairly effectively with various challenges in this regard, but it is not fair to expect him to continue to defend a record he has no input into improving. It would also be useful to include implementation of the LLRC Recommendations into the brief of such a Ministry, since they have a close bearing on Human Rights.

At a time when much investment is made on developing transport infrastructure, these examples from Sri Lanka’s own history cannot be over emphasized. For transport infrastructure to succeed in providing the desired and sustainable economic impetus requires getting the correct synergies. Careful planning to connect the areas of production and consumption and the export nodes and for these nodes to be value additions, is essential for transport investments to yield adequate economic returns.

Comparatively the development of transport since independence has been disappointing. The canal system has all but disappeared and rendered non-functional. The railway has continuously lost market share and has become a commercial burden even though its economic potential remains. The road network is overcrowded, slow and unsafe. The bus network has not been reformed to suit the open-market conditions. Institutions charged with these functions have grown in size and in budgets they execute, but their services have continuously deteriorated.

There has been no serious effort to develop a national transport strategy or transport network. The Southern Highway, Katunayake Expressway, Port of Hambantota and Hambantota International Airport are not a part of any known overall strategic plan to develop the country’s resources for trade or consumption. Most transport infrastructure projects are piece-meal investments. Today they are a plethora of unsolicited proposals. On the other hand the budgeted expenditure for 2013 for all modes of transport exceeds Rs 250 billion or nearly 4 percent of GDP. The question we need to ask is whether they will bear fruit as much as the transport investments that were made in the 18th and 19th century.

Most of this expenditure will flow through engineers and engineering institutions both state and private. While such spending should be heralded as good news to the industry, it also brings with it the responsibility of spending such large sum of money wisely for the future well being of the country. I have considered that there are areas of concern that engineers today should respond to in discharging their professional responsibility.

Engineering developed as a profession and earned its place in society as a contributor to social well being and improved quality of life. The first professional institute of engineering, the Institute of Civil Engineers in UK, was formed in 1818 with very altruistic principles worthy of being recalled today. For example the ICE Charter states that its objectives are:

“……the general advancement of mechanical science, and more particularly for promoting the acquisition of that species of knowledge which constitutes the profession of a civil engineer; being the art of directing the great sources of power in nature for the use and convenience of man, as the means of production and of traffic in states, both for external and internal trade, as applied in the construction of roads, bridges, aqueducts, canals, river navigation, and docks.”

This objective was established in the beginning of the 19th century at the end of the industrial age and the beginning of the railway age which had begun to replace water transport worldwide. This was also the thinking after the Renaissance of the 17th century where the inventions arising from the ‘advancement of science’ began to be applied to civil life and benefit as against military application. Engineering itself became more oriented towards being used for the ‘convenience of man’ as set out in the ICE charter.

Furthermore, it is interesting to note that the objectives of civil engineering were defined as ‘the production and transport (called traffic at that time) as represented in the construction of the required infrastructure for purpose of commerce and human settlements. This was the basis of engineering practice. This was the exact basis that secured the future of the economy of Sri Lanka where the transport networks of the 18th and 19th century were engineered.

The professional nature of engineering of the transport infrastructure at that time reflected a move away from infrastructure being used primarily for military use and for strengthening of political power to using it for economic development and social upliftment. This principle of professionalism in engineering has extended to all branches of engineering where inventions such as the steam engine were used primarily for civil use. The more modern fields such as electrical engineering and computing led to more consumer oriented goods with individual applications as against public infrastructure.

Since the beginning of professionalism in engineering, transport engineers have added value both globally and nationally, with extensive railway lines, canals, roads, ports and airports being planned, designed and constructed by famous engineers such as Thomas Telford the pioneer of the ICE and Isambard Kingdom Brunel considered as one of the greatest engineers of all times. The subsequent creation of the Suez Canal and the Panama Canal changed international trade patterns.

We need to ensure we add more value to the world than what is taken out from it. Today engineers are blamed for taking out of the environment’s increasingly scarce resources in large quantities than what is put back. We should be aware that transport activity is one of the biggest contributors to Climate Change. Minimizing resource use in transport infrastructure construction and in fact minimizing travel itself should become an objective of transport engineering. Thus our plans to build more infrastructure must be balanced with attaining a reduction in trips, travel distances, travel times and the associated negative impacts on both the environment and society.

It is thus the duty of engineers who have the opportunity to plan, design, and construct transport infrastructure to ensure that their professional intent is to safeguard against the negative impacts and that all transport infrastructure is created for the common good and not for the mere creation of monuments for leaders or for the consolidation of political or military power.

Unlike the work of a physician, teacher or lawyer, engineering is not a profession that can be practiced individually. It is work undertaken by a team for the community. Most engineering tasks require a planning, design, construction and operation or maintenance stage. Within these there are many specializations required, all of which need to come together.

In an engineering organization, the people undertaking these activities are bound together by processes which are fundamental to the practice of sound engineering. If you take these processes away then even engineers will not be able to practice engineering.

In the field of transportation engineering there has to be a planning phase. This is built on systematic data gathering, analysis and forecasting of future requirements. The detailed design phase for a transport infrastructure project such as a new expressway or new port or airport cannot be attempted without the required data gathering, planning and study.

The construction phase that follows cannot be implemented in keeping with the standards of engineering unless the design has been completed within reasonable cost, safety and performance levels. Of course maintenance becomes a nightmare if construction is not done properly. Such is the domino effect when even one process is subverted in building transport infrastructure. It is also true for other infrastructure.

It is necessary to understand that the processes that combine these activities are equally important. The feasibility study that communicates planning requirements to design stage cannot be done in haste.

Even though engineering institutions are well established, only a small fraction of funds voted through the consolidated budget is spent after due diligence studies or feasibility of the intended investment. It is sadly only for foreign funded projects that feasibility studies are done. The rush for speed often compromises the project reaping the potential economic benefits and indeed ensuring the minimization of resources and costs.

Today these engineering processes that were initially instituted by our Colonial masters are being dismantled in full public view. While the purposes of these processes when first instituted could be questioned, they were useful to ensure organizations serve the task they were set up for.

They are to ensure that transparency and accountability are built in to the core processes of each organization. Such processes be they for award of contracts or tenders, for recruitment or promotion or for engineering design or study or inquiry are built to honour, respect and protect the professional inputs that are the core competencies on which engineering organization should perform.

Like accounting standards, it is time for engineering standards to be developed that will stipulate the processes that should be followed in engineering planning and the special qualifications that engineers competent in planning should possess.

This is an urgent task given that in Sri Lanka most of what is planned is not implemented and that most of what is implemented is not planned. Engineers will fail in their duty to society unless we change such practices which are detrimental to the stable development of Sri Lanka’s economic base and social fabric.

May I then sum up that it is my belief that the future of our profession will be vastly benefitted from reflecting on our professional calling to be committed towards the convenience of man or what I call the common good and the past practices of setting up engineering processes and models of leadership. Any attempt to build infrastructure without building these very characteristics that identify it as a profession will only lead to the creation of monuments of both infrastructure and institutions. But a quick return to these practices will see the projects we develop become sustainable, productive and serve our nation, our people and the purposes we choose as a nation.

Concluded

Considered as one of the most important events in the world tourism calendar, Sri Lanka has been listed as one of the five 'Newly Emerging Travel Powerhouses' in this publication for 2012.

The countries are Mexico, Malaysia, Indonesia and Argentina.

This annual report is a mirror and highlights world travel trends and insights, with emphasis on the UK market and this listing would go a long way to help promote Sri Lanka tourism.

It is important that Sri Lankan hoteliers take note of these findings and strategically develop and position their product and service offerings accordingly, in relation to the competition, to capitalize on these trends.

The three key factors highlighted for Sri Lanka were, re-emerging after the civil war, investing in infrastructure and beauty of destination.

This report was an important and prestigious publication which was referred to by many professionals in the industry world over, in making their strategic plans for the forthcoming year.

The premier world-wide sustainability merit ‘Green Globe Re-Certification’ was achieved by Cinnamon Lodge Habarana with a compliance of 81 % of the 248 preset standards for the second consecutive time. In 2011 the resort achieved a compliance rate of 78 %.

Green Globe is the premier worldwide certification and performance improvement programme developed specifically for the tourism and travel industry. With this certificate, the hotels guarantees that they are taking into account the environment, local economy and local community.

Cinnamon Lodge Habarana, a member of the John Keells Hotels Group, is committed to sustainability. As part of the resort’s green initiative they implement sustainability management systems, employee training and support its community by purchasing a large portion of the produce from the community of the farmers that are situated around the property such as in the production of soap and recycled paper.

To engage guests in the effort of promoting sustainability, the resort also has developed an innovative idea of a “Farm Tour” where guests are allowed to pick fresh fruits and vegetables of their choice to be served at their own table at dinner. The farm also supplies the hotel with milk and honey.

To add to the resort’s milestones, the farm is in the process of obtaining European Union accredited organic certification to serve guests with unparalleled experience of organic cuisine. This will be another first achieved by the five star resort, who was recently awarded “Best Five star resort in Sri Lanka” at the recently held Sri Lanka Tourism Awards.

“At Cinnamon Lodge Habarana, we are committed to continue to look for ways to improve various sustainability and innovative practices,” said. Ghazzali Mohideen, General Manager.

“Its about aiming to meet human needs while preserving the environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but also for generations to come,” he said.

John Keells Holdings PLC won the Golden Peacock Global Award for Sustainability for 2012 at the London Global Convention held recently. The award aims to recognise entities that have taken steps in promoting overall Sustainable Development. JKH was among two other winners for the said category; namely Tata Motors in India and WPP 2005 in the UK.

The last year’s winners of the Global Award for Sustainability were Coca Cola Inc of US, Unilever, Europe, Doha Bank, Qatar and the Oil and Natural Gas Company, India. While the winners for 2010 were Deutsche Bank, Germany, Coca Cola Inc, Atlanta, Reliance Industries, India and Doha Bank, Qatar.

The Golden Peacock Awards was initiated by the Institute of Directors India in 1992.

This was established to recognise companies that excel in corporate excellence worldwide. Former Chief Justice of India and acting Chairman of UN Human Rights Committee, Justice P.N. Bhagwati is the Chairman of the Golden Peacock Awards Committee.

The Global Awards are finalised by a jury headed by Dr. Ola Ullsten, former Prime Minister of Sweden and Co-Chair of the World Commission on Forests and Sustainable Development.

The Golden Peacock Awards Secretariat receives over 1,000 entries per year for the various national and global awards from over 25 countries worldwide, and all institutions whether public, private, non-profit, government, business, manufacturing and service sector are eligible to apply.

“We believe that this award underscores the maturity of JKH’s internal sustainability management framework, its reporting mechanisms and the quality of the initiatives that have been carried out,” said Suresh Rajendra, President overlooking the Property Group and Sustainability and Enterprise Risk Management, John Keells Holdings PLC, expressing the Group’s progress made with regard to sustainability development.

The Sri Lankan government has created space for municipal councils to raise funds by issuing municipal bonds, which are five times bigger than the Municipals’ Budget surplus, says Dr .P.B Jayasundara , Secretary to the Treasury.

He made these sentiments addressing a Post-Budget seminar organised by Ernst & Young. Dr.Jayasundara stressed that the government is fully committed in creating new investment opportunities in the municipal councils and will implement certain reforms to meet the development targets of these organizations.

“The government has also created the space for local banks to look out for international markets rather than competing for the same customers locally. Our banks should go to international markets and raise money and show their balance sheets to the world market. Today, Sri Lanka needs capital in every possible way and the private sector needs to participate in special poverty reduction initiatives in areas where they operate in.

The private sector has to raise investments; to do that, restrictions on capital formation have to move out. The country has now developed capacity for such borrowers to go to the international market and raise money for much-needed investments across the country. Today, what matters is the sustainability in capital formation and it’s imperative to deepen the debenture market through listing as a fund of capital formation,” said Dr.Jayasundara.

The government has committed 6 % of GDP as public investment in infrastructure development and there is a continuous effort to expand the infrastructure network across the country. People will see more value addition in express ways next year and the government will promote port based city industries in the near future. On the tax front, the Tax Appeal Commission should be strengthened and the tax system will not be compromised for short-term gains.

“We are almost on the border of stepping into a upper middle income country. When the country hits the $ 4,000 per capita income status by 2015 or 2016, Sri Lanka will reach the poverty free middle income status.

Today, Sri Lanka has also become a donor to extend grants for countries like Uganda and Maldives and is becoming a supplier to the World Food Programme as well,” Dr.Jayasundara added.

Sri Lanka’s first 500 room five star beach resort , would be ready by 2015, winter. This mega project by LOLC leisure amalgamating three award winning hotels into one enterprise will be the biggest and the best in the subcontinent taking Sri Lanka tourism to a new era. The property built in the golden mile in Beruwela with a mammoth investment of Rs. 16 billion would be the biggest locally funded hotel project outside Colombo.

Under the first stage, 500 rooms with beach frontage would be built spreading over a 20 acre land. This would be followed by Phase 2 which will consist of 120 serviced apartments, 80 condominiums and a shopping cum entertainment complex.

Head of Sales and Marketing LOLC Leisure, Jayantha De Silva said that this project would also include a large conference area for 700 which would help to promote the MICE market in a bigger manner.

The management is now negotiating with international hotel chains to transfer the management of this venture. Many international high repute tour and super chain hotel operators have expressed their consent to operate and manage the resort.

Very productive discussions have been held with international Hotel Chains for the marketing and management of the resort. Hilton Worldwide, IHG, Marriot International and Starwood were the main contenders based on our comprehensive evaluation.

“This venture would open new vistas in the local tourism arena and would attract high end travelers and also a MICE market giving more exposure to the country as a destination,” he said.

The new project would generate over 1,000 direct employment and 4,000 to 5,000 indirect employment opportunities,” he said. Residents and craftsmen in the vicinity would also have an opportunity to showcase their products to high end tourists, thus gaining better returns.

LOCL entered the Beruwela area a few years ago by acquiring properties owned by Confifi Group, Eden, Riverina and Palm Garden and then Tropical Villas. “Under this mega development all these four hotels would replaced with new constructions, offering additional rooms as well. All the new 500 rooms would ultra luxury and in five star standards.

With the opening of this project LOLC group’s room portfolio with the inclusion of Eden Resort and Spa would increase to 658 in the Beruwela area. In addition the hotel also owns and operates the 76 key Dickwella resort and Spa and reconsolidates its position as the third biggest hotel operator in Sri Lanka with a total of 734 keys.

Commenting on the recently concluded WTM in London he said it was very successful for both the country as well as for them. “WTM helped us to market both Eden and Dickwella and we also found several new operators,” he added.

A veteran in the industry with 30 years experience, also praised the model of the Sri Lanka stand and other arrangements.