Apr 17 (BBC) Poverty in Sri Lanka has been gradually reduced in Sri Lanka and inflation is 'similar' to many other countries, head of Central Bank said. Speaking with BBC Sandeshaya in London after meetings with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, Ajith Nivard Cabraal said the country's economy has recorded a continuous growth rate of over 6 percent. Poverty was 22-23 percent of the population in 2002 and currently it is been reduced to 15 percent, more..

Apr 17 (LD) The President has decided to appoint the wife of slain Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle as the Sri Lanka Freedom Party’s organizer for the Katana electorate. The succession of Dr. Mrs. Sudarshani Fernandopulle to the post comes after calls by close associates of the late Mr. Fernandopulle as well as the SLFP activists in Katana. The President has invited Mrs. Fernandopulle to enter active politics to take forward the vision of her late politician husband. more..

Apr 17 (GV) “The cost of living is sky rocketing like the Kfir jets,” said an old man standing along the road side with great sigh. He was holding his loaf of bread tightly as though it was something precious. “Yes, soon will have to give up eating,” another old man standing next to him admitted. Now a days bread is the main food item in many families. We can simply estimate the rate of cost of living with the price increase of wheat flour and bread. more..

Apr 17 (AHRC) The eleven-member International Independent Group of Eminent Persons (IIGEP) consisted of representatives from India, France, Indonesia, the United States, the Netherlands, Bangladesh, Canada, Cyprus, the United Kingdom, Australia and Japan, abandoned their efforts to assist the Presidential Commission of Inquiry to Investigate and Inquire into Serious Violations of Human Rights. more..

Apr 17 (LD) South Indian politician V. Gopalaswamy alias Vaiko has said that it would be illusory to think that devolving power within a unitary Sri Lanka would be a solution to the country’s ethnic conflict. The General Secretary of the MDMK was addressing the Sri Lankan Tamil fraternity in Oslo during a visit to Norway to participate in a conference more..

Apr 17 (LG) Sinhala and Tamil communities in Canada celebrated the Sinhala and Tamil New year on the 13th of April, 2008 in Toronto, in a spirit of harmony and goodwill. This Grand Cultural show was organized by the Canadian Democratic Tamil Cultural Association, which is a community organization working to promote democracy and pluralism in the Tamil community in Ontario and to foster friendship and understanding with other Sri Lankan communities and the Canadian mainstream. more..

Apr 17 (LG) Many Sinhala people including young writers are now putting the blame on the LTTE for starting the war. Some of them were not born, or too young to remember S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike’s disastrous "Sinhala only" language policy of 1956, which instantly divided the country on ethnic lines by the mere stroke of a pen. He got the blessings of the Maha Sangha and the Sinhala majority because they were so elated and could not see into the future, beyond their noses. more..

Apr 17 (LG) Some ten miles north west of Trincomalee off the Trincomalee - Horowupothana road, is an ancient Buddhist shrine with origins dating back to the years before the second century. I first visited this shrine in 1975 in the company of a villager from the area who seemed to know its history. He informed me that Velgam Vehera also known as Natanar Kovil was a unique shrine because it had been protected by both Sinhalese and the Tamils. more..

Apr 17 (LM) Priyanka Vadra’s embrace of the enemy has gripped the imagination of the nation like nothing else in recent days and catapulted her right back into the public eye. The Times of India first reported on Vadra’s private conversation with Nalini Sriharan, one of the five accused in the assassination of her father and former Indian prime minister Rajiv Gandhi; Vadra has since said that the meeting was an attempt at reaching closure with the nightmares of her past. more..

Apr 17 (Reuters) Sri Lanka has delayed evaluating bids for two oil exploration blocks in its northwestern offshore Mannar basin and is to evaluate one with the most competition first, the island's petroleum resource minister said on Wednesday. "We decide only to evaluate where there is a competition of three ... once that is over we will consider the other two," Minister A.H.M. Fowzie told Reuters. more..

Apr 17 (Reuters) High global food and fuel prices are damaging Sri Lanka's economic growth more than its ongoing civil war, the central bank governor said on Tuesday, but shrugged off suggestions it could miss a 7 percent target. The Asian Development Bank said earlier this month growth would probably slow to 6 percent this year and next on high interest rates and global economic weakness. more..

Apr 17 (MN) NO DAUGHTER, wife or mother in India, in her senses, would ever wish to have Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s life. Ironically, nobody can find fault with her father, husband or her children. Moreover, Priyanka was born with a silver spoon, in arguably the wealthiest and most powerful family of India. Yet, she deserves all the sympathy from even complete strangers, because of her unenviable fate. It has made her undergo numerous grave tragedies in life. more..

Apr 17 (LBO) Central Bank has said heavy government spending to subsidise fuel, electricity and fertiliser destabilises the economy, leads to waste and hurts the poor by eventually fuelling inflation. Regular domestic fuel price hikes in keeping with rises in global oil prices are needed, the bank said in its 2007 annual report, adding that it would help contain future inflation by eliminating government inflationary borrowing. more..

Apr 17 (SLW) Rajapakse Govt. which is proverbial for dishonoring its promises made at the elections is trying however, to fulfill one solitary promise: the promise to increase the prices of fuel and food again after (not before!) the Sinhala New Year! Minister of petroleum, Fowzie was ‘considerate’ enough to hold back the price hike on fuel until the New Year was over. more..

Apr 17 (LT) The JVP has announced that its 5th National Convention will be held in Colombo on the 27th of next month. A spokesman for the party said a large number of party members from party branches all over the country will attend the National Convention to be held at Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium in Colombo on the 27th. New office-bearers to the party will be elected at the National Convention said the spokesman and more..

Apr 17 (MG) The scuffle for the post of Eastern Province chief minister that has been taking place within the ruling UPFA over the past few weeks has finally been settled with both SLMC dissident M.L.A.M. Hisbullah and TMVP Chief Pillaiyan reaching a consensus. Both Hisbullah and TMVP Spokesman Azad Mowlana confirmed to The Bottom Line that the conflict was over and that they had decided to work to ensure a UPFA victory. more..

Apr 17 (MG) A subtle attempt by the government to deploy undercover agents into the security network of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) candidates has been barred. It is learnt that the SLMC is planning to take this matter up with the hierarchy of the government soon. On Monday, Sammanthurai Police despatched a Police officer for the security of SLMC Secretary General and the chief candidate of Ampara, Hassan Ali. more..

Apr 17 (LG) War. The word itself spells fear…but living in the United States, we are generally far removed from the real aspects of war and its impact, especially on children. I am 20 years old and when I told my parents that I was taking a year off from college to go and work in our native Sri Lanka, they were both proud and fearful for my safety. Sri Lanka is a tiny island in the Indian Ocean. At about 65,000 square kilometers it is about the size of West Virginia. more..

Apr 17 (LD) The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna has rejected reports that its foreign funds have been discontinued, and stressed that the party will continue to publish all its newspapers and magazines. The JVP’s International Affairs Secretary Vijitha Herath said this in response to claims by certain media that the party’s international funds were running low as a result of its internal strife. more..

Apr 17 (LD) Police are investigating the blowing up of two electricity transformers in Kandy around 11.50 last night (Apr. 16th). The two transformers are located around five kilometres from each other at Panwila and Relugasyaya. Panwila Police say the probe will determine whether a technical trouble or an organized gang of saboteurs was responsible for the blast. The Ceylon Electricity Board is yet to estimate the damage. more..

Apr 17 (LD) The government rejects the accusations leveled against it by the International Independent Group of Eminent Persons, Defence Spokesman Keheliya told the media in Colombo today (Apr. 17th). The government operates within the legal framework of the country, he said in response to the charges contained in IIGEP’s final public statement. Headed by P.N. Bhagwati, the IIGEP was invited by the state to supervise investigations into human rights violations, Mr. Rambukwella noted. more..

Apr 17 (LD) The Catholic Bishops Conference has clarified the reasons for temporarily moving the statue of Our Lady or Madhu to Thevanpiddi Church in Mannar. It said in a statement that Thevanpiddi was the only alternative as other missions in the Mannar district have been deserted due to ongoing fighting between government troops and the LTTE. Further, Thevanpiddi is an area with a sizeable population of Catholics, the Conference said. more..

Apr 17 (LD) Minister Rajitha Senaratne did not act as a representative of the Sri Lankan government when he met with Norwegian International Development Minister Eric Solheim in Oslo recently, Defence Spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella said today (Apr. 17th). Speaking to the media in Colombo, Mr. Rambukwella said the government was yet to be briefed about what had been discussed at the meeting between the two ministers. more..

Apr 17 (LD) Trincomalee district JVP parliamentarian Jayantha Wijesekara has been ordered to be further remanded until April 21st by the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court. Mr. Wijesekara, who faces charges of having stolen official vehicles of dissident party MPs Piyasiri Wijenayake and Achala Suranga Jagoda from Parliament garage and assaulted a policeman on duty there, was first sent to remand custody on April 11th. more..

Apr 17 (LD) Claiming that a certain group is attempting to deride the struggle he led in the party, JVP dissident MP Wimal Weerawansa has said that he has no intention of joining the government to obtain ministerial portfolios and other perks and privileges. Mr. Weerawansa was responding to a statement by party parliamentarian K.D. Lal Kantha recently. more..

Apr 17 (GDI) "During the President's recent visit to China to attend the BOAO summit, China emphasized its support for Sri Lanka's territorial integrity and pledged to stand by Sri Lanka in its efforts to counter terrorism," stated the Minister of Export Development and International Trade, Prof. G.L. Peiris. Minister Peiris addressing the media in Colombo today (17th) for a summary of the President's visit to BOAO Forum in China, stated that more..

Apr 17 (GDI) Minister of Health, Nimal Siripala De Silva yesterday inspected the newly completed Radiation Treatment Unit at the Cancer Hospital Maharagama. According to Health Ministry sources, the total expenditure incurred in the construction of the unit was one billion rupees. The Unit will commence treatment within the next two months. During his inspection visit, Minister inquired into immediate measures that should be taken to begin treatment. more..

Apr 17 (AT) The latest attacks at Pudiyan Kattu LTTE bunkers near Oddusudan 11.54 p.m. at night indicate that the Sri Lanka Air Force has now overcome their night flying disability by the purchase of new aircraft, analysts in Colombo pointed out. It is a great contrast from the time the LTTE primitive aircraft attacked Colombo and the fighter jets of the Sri Lanka Air Force were unable to chase them or do any night time bombing. more..

Apr 17 (AT) Commander of the Sri Lanka Army said that the Northern Province of Sri Lanka will be taken from the LTTE during this year. He was reading this statement from a written document when he delivered the Sinhala and Hindu New Year message at a New Year festival at the Sri Lanka Army Headquarters in Colombo. The message in Sinhala language was broadcast by the state owned Independent Television Network. more..

Apr 17 (LNP) Mr. Mahinda Ratnathilake, Minister of Textile Industries disclosed that JVP MP, Sunil Handunnetti was prepared to vote for the recent budget and to join the Government. According to Mr. Ratnathilake, while he was in the chamber of one of the member of Government in parliament, Mr. Handunnetti has come to him and told him that he will join Government and after that he want to migrate to another country. more..

Apr 17 (ICRC) The limited number of staff available to care for routine cases alongside war casualties has become a critical issue for several hospitals in northern Sri Lanka. In addition, the lack of regular deliveries of supplies from the country’s health ministry has resulted in clinics and hospitals in the Vanni (the four northern districts of Sri Lanka) running out of basic medicines such as paracetamol, antibiotics and vaccines. more..

Apr 17 (LNP) Sri Lanka has the capability to produce sufficient bio fuel locally to meet the entire demand of petrol driven vehicles in the country and thus bring about massive foreign exchange savings as the need to import petrol will be almost unnecessary. According to a proposal submitted by Pelwatte Sugar Industries Ltd (PSIL) the country can be self-sufficient in bio fuel as a substitute for petrol, by cultivating 65,000 hectares of sugarcane, which will be used to produce Ethanol. more..

Apr 17 (LNP) What does Wimal Weerawansa think he is? He has asked IGP Victor Perera to release JVP MP Jayantha Wijesekera now in remand over an alleged assault on a policeman and robbery of two vehicles belonging to JVP dissidents from the Parliamentary car park. Now that legal proceedings have been instituted against Wijesekera, the law must take its course without any interference. more..

Apr 17 (LNP) Three student inventors have been selected to represent Sri Lanka at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Atlanta, USA in May. A National Science Foundation spokesman yesterday said that D. Yasith Kanchana Lokuge of Ananda College, Colombo Praveej Malinda Jayasinghe of St. Anthony`s College, Katugastota and Sajeewa Dinesh Hendurugoda, of Nugawela Central College will fly to Atlanta for the world's largest pre-collegiate celebration of Science, more..

Apr 17 (SAMN) The main elections watchdog PAFFREL said yesterday that they would deploy over 2,500 monitors including foreign observers, for the May 10 Provincial Council Elections in the East. According to Deputy Executive Director Rohana Hettiarachchi the PAFFREL has already taken steps to open four coordinating offices in the East, two in Ampara and one each in Batticaloa and Trincomalee. more..

Apr 17 (SAMN) The Bribery Commission Wednesday revealed that inflation had affected even the amounts demanded as bribes by various persons and was likely to become a serious problem in the future. A recent study conducted by the Commission had revealed that the quanta of bribes regularly solicited by individuals in government departments and offices and among the law enforcement authorities had increased by surprising amounts during the past few months. more..

Apr 17 (SAMN) Transport Minister Dullas Alahapperuma together with Road Passenger Transport Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanna have thanked the SLCTB for providing an excellent transport service to the public in an around Colombo city to enable them to visit their native villages for the Sinhala and Hindu New Year season. Alahapperuma thanked all SLCTB employees including its Chairman and Board members for this victory achieved by the SLCTB for the first time after almost 30 years. more..

Apr 17 (SAMN) The main opposition UNP, led by party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and the entire UNP parliamentary group, is planning to launch an all out campaign for the Eastern Provincial Council Elections. Sources said all campaign plans would be finalised before Monday. Mr. Wickremesinghe is also expected to participate in the SLMC national convention which is to be held in the East shortly. more..

Apr 17 (PISL) When I was asked last evening to speak tonight, I did not worry overmuch since I thought that all that was expected was an after dinner type speech, a brief coda to one of Graham Watson´s special performances. But when I read this morning the graphic description Ms Botha had provided for us of current threats to democracy in South Africa, reflecting too that Graham as the ALDE chair always manages to make us think of liberal values even more..

Apr 17 (DN) The University of Kelaniya has a proud history of over 130 years. The Vidyalankara Pirivena which was established on 1st November 1875 AD has developed into the University of Kelaniya. Vidyalankara Pirivana gained the status of a University based on the Western Model in 1959. Yet our academic heritage dates back to the beginning of Vidyalankara Pirivena. The 1st Chief Priest of this great institution was Ven. Pandithacharya Rathmalane Sri Dharmaloka. more..

Apr 17 (DN) The Health Ministry has provided mosquito nets to residents in the Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu districts where Chikungunya, Malaria and Dengue are prevalent. Health sector sources state that the mosquito population is on the increase due to global warming and monsoon rains. A number of people affected by Chikungunya and Malaria have been reported from these areas. more..

Apr 17 (Island) President Mahinda Rajapaksa was to chair a high level conference yesterday evening to discuss ways and means of converting the food production drive into a war against scarcity. This is in the backdrop of soaring food prices in the world market and warnings from international organizations that soon many a country could face famine if immediate steps were not taken to step up food production, more..

Apr 17 (Island) Reminiscent of a scene in a Western movie, two men on a motor cycle chased two riding a motor cycle and shot both dead near the Balapitiya Bridge, on the Colombo-Galle Highway at 9.40 a.m. yesterday (16). They used a T-56 , Police said. The bodies have been removed to the Karapitiya Hospital. The killers sped away. Initial Police investigations revealed that underworld rivalry between two gangs had resulted in yesterday’s killings. more..

Apr 17 (DM) The Court of Appeal yesterday (16) declined to grant interim relief to the Nuwara Eliya Municipal Council (MC) restraining the Road Development Authority (RDA) from leasing out reservation space (pavements) on roads which have been declared by it to be roads, while street vending and sales are prohibited. The Writ application filed by the Nuwara Eliya MC against the RDA came up before the Bench comprising more..

Apr 17 (DM) Several people who went for a swim in rivers and other waterways during the festive season have either drowned or gone missing, Police said yesterday. The worst tragedy was reported from Tangalle where five people went missing after being carried away by the current. Tangalle police said these persons had gone for a swim after consuming liquor in Vigaraella on Tuesday evening. Navy divers were rushed there but their bodies are yet to be recovered. more..

Apr 17 (AP) New fighting between Tamil separatists and government forces across Sri Lanka's northern region killed 16 rebels and one soldier, while air force jets bombed a rebel supply base, the military said Thursday. Air force pilots confirmed they hit the Tamil Tiger logistics base Thursday, military spokesman Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara said. He did not have details of casualties or damage at the jungle base in the rebel-held Mullaitivu district. more..

Apr 17 (Reuters) Sri Lankan warplanes bombed rebel-held territory in the north of the island for a third consecutive day on Thursday, and the Tamil Tigers said a teenage girl had been killed in the air raids. Fighting between the LTTE and the military has intensified since the government formally pulled out of a six-year-old ceasefire pact in January, though a renewed civil war has been raging since 2006. more..

Apr 17 (TOI) Battered in the north-eastern war theatre in Sri Lanka, hounded at sea by a resurgent Navy, and having lost several logistic vessels in sea battles, the LTTE seems to be falling back for supplies on its oldest haven - the porous coastline of Tamil Nadu and its vast hinterland. Dozens of incidents of smuggling and over 100 arrests in the last couple of years stand testimony to the Tigers' network in the state, more..

Apr 17 (LBO) Traders have protested against a government decision to impose price controls on rice, saying they cannot sell at a loss stocks bought at higher price. K Palaniyandi, chairman of the Pettah Traders Association said they hope to have talks with the government today to sort out the matter. The government set maximum wholesale and retail prices for rice with effect from Wednesday midnight in an effort to rein in rapid rice price hikes and bring inflation under control. more..

Apr 17 (IANS) Ringing alarm bells, the International Red Cross said Thursday that hospitals in Sri Lanka's war-ravaged northern Wanni region are facing severe shortage of medical staff and medicines including normal pain killers, despite increasing war casualties. 'The lack of regular deliveries of supplies from the country's health ministry has resulted in clinics and hospitals in the Wanni region running out of basic medicines such as paracetamol, antibiotics and vaccines,' more..