The dimensions are :
HIGH 24″
WIDE 6″
LENGTH 13″The dimensions are :
HIGH 24″
WIDE 6″
LENGTH 13″
WEIGHT 3.5 kg

Material :
MARA WOOD
WEIGHT 3.5 kg

Material :
MARA WOOD

“Lanka News Web” published the following news story about the President’s son Namal Rajapaksa on the 11th of July.

The ’story’ said that President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s son, Namal, was hit by a “shower of stones” when he visited an IDP camp in Chettikulam. This is a false story. The photo was taken at the “Carlton Super Cross” in 2007.
Just consider the following photographs.

Sri Lanka at a Glance

Official name: Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
Government type: republic
Location: Latitude 5° 55. to 9° 50. north, longitude 79° 42. to 81° 52., 650km north of the equator
Dimensions: 430km north to south, 225km east to west
Coastline: 1,340km
Area: 65,525km
Currency (code): Sri Lankan rupee (LKR)
Independence: 4 February 1948
Administrative capital: Sri Jayewardenepura
Commercial capital: Colombo
Administrative divisions: 9 provinces; Central, North Central, North Eastern, North Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Uva, Western, Eastern Province.
Climate: Typically tropical, with a northeast monsoon (December to March) bringing unsettled weather to the north and east, and a southwest monsoon (June to October) bringing bad weather to the south and west
Terrain: Mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-central interior
Highest mountain: Pidurutalagala, 2,524m
Highest waterfall: Bambarakanda, 263m
National Flower The Blue Water Lily (Nymphaea stellata).
National parks and nature reserves area: 8,000sq.km
Population: 21,128,773 (? Census)
Population growth rate: 1.3%
Population Density: 309 people per sq km
Life Expectancy at Birth 74 female, 64 male
Literacy rate : Female 87.9 Male 92.5
Ethnic groups: Sinhalese 73.8%, Sri Lankan Moors 7.2%, Indian Tamil 4.6%, Sri Lankan Tamil 3.9%, other 0.5%, unspecified 10% (2001 census)
Languages: Sinhala (official and national language) 74%, Tamil (national language) 18%, other 8%
Note: English (a link language commonly) is used in government and spoken competently by about 10% of the population
Religion: Buddhist 69.1%, Muslim 7.6%, Hindu 7.1%, Christian 6.2%, unspecified 10% (2001 census)
Time zone: Sri Lanka Standard Time is five and a half hours ahead of GMT. (Allowance should be made for summer-time changes in Europe.)
International dialing: +94
Electricity: 230 . 240 volts, 50 cycles AC. If you travel with a laptop computer bring a stabilizer
Economy: Sri Lanka.s most dynamic sectors are food processing, textiles and apparel, food and beverages, port construction, telecommunications, and insurance and banking. In 2006, plantation crops made up only 15% of exports (90% in 1970), while textiles and garments accounted for more than 60%. About 800,000 Sri Lankans work abroad, 90% of them in the Middle East. They send home more than US$1 billion a year.
Labour force 34.3% of the labour population is employed in agriculture, 25.3% in industry and 40.4% in services: 40.4% (30 June 2006 est.) The unemployment rate is 5.7% (2007 est.)
Agriculture & products Rice, sugarcane, grains, pulses, oilseed, spices, tea, rubber, coconutsm milk, eggs, hides, beef, fish
Industries: Processing of rubber, tea, coconuts, tobacco and other agricultural commodities; telecommunications, insurance, banking; clothing, textiles; cement, petroleum refining.
Exports: Textiles and apparel; tea and spices; diamonds, emeralds, rubies; coconut products, rubber manufactures, fish
Imports: Main import commodities are textile fabrics, mineral products, petroleum, foodstuffs, machinery and transportation equipment: $10.61 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.). Percentage of main commodities from main import partners: India 19.6%, China 10.5%, Singapore 8.8%, Iran 5.7%, Malaysia 5.1%, Hong Kong 4.2%, Japan 4.1% (2006)
Gross Domestic Product (GDP): Purchasing power parity: $81.29 billion (2007 est.). Official exchange rate: $30.01 billion (2007 est.) Real growth rate: 6.3% (2007 est.) Per capita: $4,100 (2007 est.) composition by sector: Agriculture: 16.5% Industry: 26.9%
Gross National Product (GNP): Sri Lanka is placed in 76th place in GNP figures of the world.s nations with $22.8 billion (2005)
Flag description: yellow with two panels; the smaller hoist-side panel has two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and orange; the other panel is a large dark red rectangle with a yellow lion holding a sword, and there is a yellow bo leaf in each corner; the yellow field appears as a border around the entire flag and extends between the two panels
Source : SLTPB

HI Folks

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Gemak Deela

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Canon has unveiled the EOS 500D (Digital Rebel T1i), the latest addition to its compact DSLR series. The upper-entry-level camera features a 15.1 MP APS-C CMOS sensor with 1080p HD video recording at 20fps. It also offers a 3.0 inch LCD with 920,000 dot resolution and an ISO sensitivity range expandable up to 12800 equivalent. It includes a faster Digic 4 processor offering better noise reduction at higher ISO’s and continuous shooting speeds of up to 3.4 fps delivering 170 large JPEG images in a single burst.

(more…)

Airtel lanka GPRS Settings

Make sure your GPRS is activated or else call 555 and activate it

Connection Name : Airtel
Data Bearer : Packet Data
Acess Point : Airtellive
user name :
Password :
Authentication : Normal
Home Page : http://wap.airtel.lk (optional)
Network Type : IPv4
Phone IP : automatic
Proxy server : 10.200.168.84
DNS : automatic
ProxyPort : 8080

Australia will reduce the number of visas issued to skilled migrants for the first time in 10 years to protect jobs in an economy teetering on recession.

The skilled visa intake will be cut by 18,500, or 14 percent, to 115,000 this year from 133,500 forecast in December as the global financial crisis puts pressure on the labor market, Immigration Minister Chris Evans said in an e-mailed statement.

“We don’t want people coming in who are going to compete with Australians for limited jobs,” Evans said in the statement today. The government will also remove builders, plumbers, carpenters and steel welders from the critical skills list.

Australia’s economy unexpectedly shrank 0.5 percent last quarter from the previous three months, the first decline since 2000. The jobless rate in February rose to 5.2 percent from 4.8 percent as companies fired full-time workers and the government forecasts the unemployment rate will reach 7 percent in the year ending June 30, 2010.

Pacific Brands Ltd., Australia’s biggest underwear maker, and raw material producers including BHP Billiton Ltd. are among companies firing workers as consumers cut spending and the global financial crisis deepens.

“Australia still needs to maintain a skilled migration program but one that is more targeted so that migrant workers are meeting skills shortages and not competing with locals for jobs,” Evans said.

Government Spending

To curb job losses, the government will spend A$42 billion ($28 billion) on cash handouts to households and on infrastructure. The central bank last month cut its benchmark lending rate to a 45-year low of 3.25 percent.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s package announced Feb. 3 aims to create 90,000 jobs in the next 18 months while a A$10.4 billion stimulus announced in October would create 70,000 jobs, according to the government’s Web site.

“The global financial crisis means the outlook for employment has changed dramatically,” Employment Minister Julia Gillard told parliament in Canberra. “Our visa scheme should meet skills shortages and not compete with locals for jobs.”
Source :Bloomberg

A Hilton subsidiary has entered into an agreement with Sun Travels and Tours, to manage the Hilton Maldives/Iru Fushi Resort & Spa. A conversion hotel project, the property currently known as the Irufushi Beach & Spa Resort is scheduled to open as a Hilton Worldwide Resort in July 2009.

Martin Rinck, President Hilton Hotels Corporation – Asia Pacific, said, “The beauty of the Maldives, its pristine white beaches, turquoise waters and fascinating underwater world continues to entice yachting and diving enthusiasts, spa seekers and honeymooners looking for an island hideaway. This is one of the most exotic and idyllic island destinations in the world, and we are delighted to add the Hilton flag to the Conrad brand already present.”

Comprising 220 villas, the Hilton Maldives/Iru Fushi Resort & Spa will sprawl over 52 acres of powdery white sands and abundant tropical vegetation on Medhafushi which is nestled within the unspoiled Noonu Atoll.

The resort will offer a range of room options, from beach villas that open onto private shores and are surrounded by rich tropical foliage, to over-water villas with private whirlpools and sundecks from which guests can take in uninterrupted views across the Indian Ocean.

Four unique restaurants will enable guests to embark on an epicurean journey during their stay. From an alfresco restaurant with live stations and grills serving freshly caught seafood to a fine dining restaurant blending local and international flavours. A selection of distinctive bars and an over water wine cellar will allow guests to unwind with beverages and watch the famous Maldivian sunsets.

Located approximately 60 kilometres north of Malé International Airport, the resort is easily accessed by a 45-minute seaplane flight.

A spa sanctuary with 21 private spa pavilions will be complemented by a fitness centre, swimming pool, tennis courts and a range of water sport activities, while book lovers can curl up at the resort library and Internet cafe.

Famed for its beautiful and rare underwater reefs, warm water temperatures and high visibility, the Maldives enjoys a reputation as one of the best diving destinations in the world. The Hilton Maldives will have a diving centre on property to enable guests to learn to scuba dive with qualified trainers as well as enable dive enthusiasts to make the most of their experience of the house reef and crystal clear waters of Noonu Atoll. Over 30 dive sites are available to explore within an hour from the island, all with an abundance of marine life and a rich variety of colourful corals.

“We’re thrilled to welcome the Hilton Maldives/Iru Fushi Resort & Spa to our portfolio,” said Jeff Diskin, senior vice president – Brand Management, Hilton Hotels & Resorts. “This beautiful location, coupled with our unique brand of Hilton hospitality is sure to make this hotel a favorite among the world’s travellers.”

The management contract will further enhance Hilton Hotels’ presence in the Maldivian archipelago, where the company will have several of its Hilton Family of Hotels Brands. The Hilton Maldives will build on the success of the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island which opened in 1997 (originally as a Hilton hotel before being rebranded to the Conrad in 2007). The Doubletree by Hilton Malé is also scheduled to open in the Republic’s capital, Malé, in 2011.
Source: asiatraveltips

catch Mr.Namal Rajapaksa the Chairman of Tharunyata Hetak speech at Super Sports 2009!

The latest survey on the apparel sector in Sri Lanka shows that the industry has been steadily shrinking since 2005.

The findings showed that from mid-2005 to now, 75 factories in seven provinces have closed down. From these, around 24 factories have shut in the past six months. These factories were mainly located in the Free Trade Zones of Katunayake, Biyagama, Koggala and Seethawaka.

The findings also show that many major foreign buyers of Sri Lankan garments have closed their offices in Sri Lanka within the past three years and taken their orders to other countries.

The main reason for this shift in business is the comparatively higher cost of production in Sri Lanka.
(Source: www.just-style.com – Latest News)