President Mahinda Rajapaksa ordered to suspend the Rubella immunization programme immediately following the death of one school girl in Matara today. Twenty six more students fell ill due to a complication caused by vaccination given against Rubella.

The UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in a telephone conference with President Mahinda Rajapaksa this evening (17) said there is increasing cooperation evident between the UN and the Government of Sri Lanka, and this is a positive sign in the continuing relationship. He said a continuous dialogue between the Government and the United Nations on the humanitarian situation in the North and related matters would be most useful.

The Muslims of Sri Lanka will have greater joy in these celebrations this year as they come after the establishment of democracy in the Eastern Province, and the fast approaching liberation of the North too, from the clutches of terrorism, said President Mahinda Rajapaksa in his message for Meelad-un Nabi, the birth of the Holy Prophet Mohammed.

Through its 58 years the Sri Lanka Air Force has shown distinction in air power, defense capabilities, and humanitarian assistance, earning it the deep gratitude and respect of the nation, said President Mahinda Rajapaksa in a message to mark the 58th Anniversary and Awarding of the President’s Colours to the Air Force last Saturday ( March 07).

The Sri Lanka Navy holds a special place of honour for the decisive role it played in changing the tide of against the forces of terror in our country, said President Mahinda Rajapaksa, in a message to make the Commissioning Parade of Officers of the Sri Lanka Navy at Trincomalee, last Saturday (March 7).

President Mahinda Rajapaksa who was on a three-day official visit to Nepal returned home early this morning a day ahead following the terrorists attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa unequivocally condemned the cowardly terrorist attack targeting the Sri Lankan Cricket Team in Lahore, Pakistan, today emphasizing that the Sri Lankan team had gone to Pakistan as ambassadors of goodwill.

President Rajapaksa and his Nepalese counterpart Dr. Ram Baran Yadav met at Sital Niwas in Kathmandu yesterday talked on the possibility of linking Kathmandu and the Lanka capital Colombo, and the roles of the South Asian Association for Regional Corporation (SAARC), and the current ongoing peace process in Nepal, among other things of mutual interests.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Madam Shiranthi Rajapaksa arrived in Kathmandu a short while ago for a three-day state visit.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa left for Nepal early this morning at the invitation Nepal President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav.

“We need to re-double our efforts to combat this menace individually and collectively. We cannot shy away from taking firm and forceful action to combat terrorism, including internationally….. The instability caused by [the global financial] crisis can be considered quite similar to the threat caused by terrorism to our societies and to our region. The effects of synchronised slow-down in developed economies, can reach us sooner than later. And, as the crisis deepens in the developed world, it is likely that protectionist sentiments can spread and even take root.” said President Mahinda Rajapaksa addressing the SAARC Foreign Ministers Conference in Colombo today.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa reiterated his Government`s consistent stand in preventing collateral damage being caused to civilians in the final phase of the current military operations to defeat terrorism in the country during a courtesy call on him by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Nepal, Upendra Yadav in Colombo yesterday.

“With this campaign, we will make sure that our fight to eradicate terrorism goes hand in hand, with the fight to free our children from being robots of terror. We will begin to give voice to those thousands of Tamil parents who have been compelled to watch this sad plight of their offspring, their hopes for the future, being ruthlessly destroyed. We will join them and give them strength,” said President Mahinda Rajapaksa, launching the National Campaign against the Recruitment of Children for Armed Conflict, yesterday (26).

President Mahinda Rajapaksa will today (26) launch the Sri Lankan National Campaign against the Recruitment of Children for Use in Armed Conflict.

The Hindus in Sri Lanka join their co-religionists the world over, to celebrate Maha Shiva Rathri today, one of the most important festivals in the Hindu religious calendar. A festival observed in honour of Lord Shiva, this marks the day that Hindu belief holds he married Parvati, and also the night he performed the dance of primordial creation and preservation.

“Our main concern is the safety of the civilians that the LTTE is holding hostage for their human shield, and we are taking every precaution to ensure their safety," said President Rajapaksa to Sir John Holmes, the UN Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs when they met at the Presidential Secretariat this morning.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa reiterated that he will never ever be prepared to display to the world his motherland or its people, as sympathy evoking exhibits.

The victory of the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) at the Central and North Western Provincial Council Election is a triumph of all those who love the Motherland, said President Mahinda Rajapaksa in a statement issued yesterday on the outcome of the polls.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa today appointed Mr. Narayana Murthy as International Advisor on Information Technology.

2009 is our country’s Year of English and IT. With the liberation of our people from the clutches of terrorism which destroyed our country for more than 25 years, 2009 will also be our country’s Year of Peace, our country’s Year of Reconciliation, and our Year of true Independence, said President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the ceremonial launch of "2009 - Year of English and Information Technology" at the Presidential Secretariat, today.