Mar 30 (TN) Chaavakachcheari Magistrate, P.J. Pirabakar, Monday directed the police to arrest EPDP member Jeevan, the prime suspect in the abduction and killing of Thiruchelvam Kapilthev and ordered action to be taken to prevent the suspect leaving the country. One of the fellow students of the victim arrested and detained had said in his statement to police that the said Jeevan was the key person in more..

Mar 30 (AFP) The wife of Sri Lanka's detained ex-army chief Monday accused authorities of preventing her husband from receiving vital medical treatment and said he could die in custody. Sarath Fonseka's health had deteriorated since he was held at the naval headquarters in Colombo after his arrest on February 8 and was in need of urgent medical attention, said his wife, Anoma Fonseka. more..

Mar 30 (LG) Many people interpreting Buddhism see it as one of the numerous philosophies and religions known from antiquity. Certainly Buddhism is a practical philosophy in the sense that prevails today. This philosophy sets up a system of vast psychotherapy. In that context the Lord Buddha was a unique psychotherapist. In general Psychotherapy means a treatment of emotional, behavioral, personality disorders based primarily upon verbal or nonverbal communication. more..

Mar 30 (SLW) An interesting news item appeared in a recent “Church of the American Ceylon Mission” website which is campaigning shamelessly a daydream authenticity and continuing to wear its illegitimate and misleading cloak. It said: “As soon as the resettlement of people in Vanni begun in mid January, 2010, our Clergy and Lay People moved in to action to care the people who have lost everything and traumatized by the war.” more..

Mar 30 (TA) Ravi, a 17-year-old Tamil released last week from Christmas Island's detention camp for minors and families, says it is so overcrowded that inmates have to queue for 90 minutes to get their food. The boy, who did not want his real name used, spent more than six months at the construction camp compound, made up mainly of transportable huts, near the island's swimming pool and rubbish tip. more..

Mar 30 (USE) A USAID funded study report has identified investment opportunities in the aquaculture sector in the Eastern Province. Aquaculture, or fish farming, has the potential for significant growth in the East given the availability of suitable land and a strong export demand for fish and seafood. This report also identifies aquaculture products that are most suitable for export and obstacles that must be overcome to encourage investment and more..

Mar 30 (ME) Her hands are cut and swollen from years of hard labour on the steep slopes of the tea plantation. She smiles, but the rest of her face is tense from the weight of the basket she carries on her forehead. In this basket are some of the world’s finest tea leaves, delicate and intensely green. Carefully chosen and hand-picked by tea-pickers in Sri Lanka, they will be sold to the biggest brands in the market, put into tea bags and distributed across Europe. more..

Mar 30 (GV) To one Mr. N. Ethirveerasingam, on a comment he made on an article I wrote (The Commissioner of Elections: A close friend’s critique) and appeared in Groundviews, I responded: “Quite recently I read a paper at an international conference held in Colombo which I wish to summarize having read your comment to understand the political hypocrisy in the south. Hope Groundviews will agree to publish it.” more..

Mar 30 (LNW) Media personnel from the print and electronic media through e-mail messages told Lanka News Web that the President’s decision to call for asset declarations from media personnel should be first applied to Lake House Chairman Bandula Padmakumara and other heads of state media institutions. Interestingly, 80% of the journalists who have sent the e-mail massages are from the state media. more..

Mar 30 (LeN) Because of the conflict that has arisen over the preferential votes race at the General elections between Matara District UPFA candidate Minister of National heritage and cultural affairs Mahinda Yapa Abeywradena and his relative Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena, there has erupted a serious and tense battle among their supporters. Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena has from the outset as a UPFA member has been representing the Matara District and more..

Mar 30 (TC) A 17th century English churchman and historian, Thomas Fuller said, "Be ye ever so high, still the law is above you", meaning "Be you ever so high, the law is above you". Judges across countries including Sri Lanka, have used it in cases where the high and mighty try to keep the long arm of law at bay. Though powerful people may have used every machination at their disposal to stunt the law's long arm, but more..

Mar 30 (GDI) Any form of begging will be banned inside trains from April 01, Commercial Director of Sri Lanka Railways, Wijaya Samarasinghe said. He said that strict measures will be taken to curb the menace. Begging and soliciting money inside commuter trains has been a common practice and several measures taken to discourage it have so far proved futile. more..

Mar 30 (GDI) The Government has commenced renovation and widening of the 22 kilometre stretch of road from Kadawatha to Nittambuwa on the Colombo-Kandy main road. Work on the project, costing Rs.660 million commenced under the patronage of Highways and Road Development Ministry Secretary Wasantha Karannagoda. The road will be widened by 10 metres in the last phase of this project. more..

Mar 30 (GDI) President Rajapaksa was able to give leadership to the Armed Forces to defeat the LTTE terrorists that no other leader could have done for three decades. Therefore, from whatever political party I may contest elections I will continue to support President Mahinda Rajapaksa", former Kandy District JHU Member of Parliament Ven. Udawatte Nanda Thero said. more..

Mar 30 (GDI) President Mahinda Rajapaksa urged the youth to make themselves eligible for future employment opportunities and asserted that the country needed viable manpower to supplement its booming economy. Our youth should be more aware of education opportunities at hand and also should lay emphasis in using them to widen their scope and enhance their eligibility”, he added. more..

Mar 30 (wsws) Government and opposition candidates for the Colombo district in the April 8 general election have been rushing to the shanty areas of the capital appealing for votes with promises of good housing. President Mahinda Rajapakse suddenly announced a “Nagamu Purawara” (Let’s Develop the City) program in mid-February and accused municipal authorities of “ignoring” the shanty people. more..

Mar 30 (MoD) Social Services and Social Welfare Minister Douglas Devananda recently opened a Vocational Training Centre of the Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau and a branch office at Nallur, Jaffna. Speaking at the event, Minister Devananda thanked President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare Minister Keheliya Rambukwella, Foreign Employment Bureau chairman Kingsley Ranawaka for more..

Mar 30 (LP) A felicitation volume of scholarly articles in recognition of the contribution rendered by Prof Siri Gunasinghe will be launched on the 1st of April. This event will be held at the National Library auditorium, Independence Avenue, Colombo 7 at 03.00pm and is organized by the Cultural Centre of the Ruhuna University and the Godage Book Centre. more..

Mar 30 (MoD) Members of Women's Chamber of Industry and Commerce (WCIC) will go to Jaffna next month to forge business links and appraise the requirements of war widows. They hope to develop home based businesses to sustain their families. WCIC Chairperson Vidyani Hettigoda said now is the time to help those who have faced hardships during the war. She requested support of all relevant parties and diplomats to strengthen their hands in more..

Mar 30 (MoD) Northern Province Governor G.A. Chandrasiri said the Government will provide boat services from Jaffna to Pooneryn, particularly for Government servants. Initial reconnaissance activities were initiated to envisage the boat service project from Jaffna to Pooneryn on the instruction of Minister Douglas Devananda and the Northern Province Governor last week. more..

Mar 30 (LG) All the gold and money found in banks and safes in the North are in safe custody, says Basil Rajapaksa, Senior Presidential Advisor and leader of the Gampaha district group of candidates for the forthcoming general election. He made this statement attending a meeting organised by the bank workers' forum of Kirindiwita this morning. more..

Mar 30 (LT) The Commissioner of Elections has directed the CID to investigate how six unemployed civilians in Niwatuwa area at Warakapola have been authorized postal voting naming them as Army personnel. Accordingly, the CID has taken statements from the six civilians said an official from the office of the Commissioner of Elections. Three of the civilians are unemployed while one is a rubber tapper and another is an employee of the Katunayake Air Port. more..

Mar 30 (LT) Gen. Sarath Fonseka would be the Prime Minister of the ‘Government of National Reconciliation formed after the general election says General Secretary of the DNA Vijithe Herath. A Government of National Reconciliation would be definitely formed and a large number of members who would be elected to the Parliament from the UNF as well as UPFA have already expressed their support for such a government said Mr. Herath. more..

Mar 30 (LT) Commissioner of Elections Dayananda Dishanayake has rejected a request made by political parties to send in agents of candidates to counting centers preparing final results. The Commissioner had informed that already five representatives for each candidate have been allowed in counting centers and more representatives would inconvenience the counting staff. more..

Mar 30 (LNP) America`s stand on Sri Lanka`s terrorism remains a riddle inside an enigma. The US used to denounce LTTE terror seemingly at every turn and to claim that it stood by this country. Strongly worded statements that Washington issued condemning the LTTE would warm the cockles of many hearts but strangely the moment the writing appeared on the wall for the LTTE, the US policy underwent a sudden change. more..

Mar 30 (DN) The Wildlife Conservation Department has reinforced remedial measures to minimise human-elephant conflict which is on the increase. Special attention has been focused to strengthen existing electrified fences and create a number of protective fences. A 45 kilometre long new electrified fence will be created from Kalawewa (South) range towards Undhuruwa via Dambewatawa. more..

Mar 30 (DN) The Government needs to carry out an action plan as per the dialogue it had with the European Union. EU Delegation Head Bernard Savage said. Speaking at the 17th AGM of the Sri Lanka Garment Buying Offices Association he said there will be no break in the market access under the GSP+ facility. “We are aware of the impact and the negative consequences. more..

Mar 30 (DN) In ancient India and Sri Lanka kings and emperors thought it a privilege to sit at the feet of man of learning, Intellectuals and men of knowledge were given the highest honour in society. Unfortunately, in our time we have downgraded intellectuals and devalued the very word. Today an ‘intellectual’ means a man who is intelligent enough to know to which side his bread is buttered, more..

Mar 30 (DN) At various stages of their lives, people use different ways of learning reflecting various learning strategies they prefer according to their various learning styles. Human beings do not always need a teacher and do not need to be over dependent on teachers despite the fact that role of the teacher in any society is indispensable, inevitable and invaluable: human beings informally learn a lot in their physical and more..

Mar 30 (Island) A senior economist says expanding budget deficits above budgeted targets makes it difficult for the Central Bank to contain inflation through a tightening of monetary policy. "When government expenditure rises it makes it difficult for the Central Bank to contain inflation as the tendency of the bank is to tightened monetary policy to curb aggregate demand but more..

Mar 30 (Island) The Maharagama Cancer Institute has received cancer treating drugs in ampoules, which were banned ten years ago on the grounds that they posed a threat to patients, nurses and the environment. Cancer drugs come in ampoules and phials. The consignment of ampoules has arrived without approval from the Health Ministry instead of phials which were ordered. The Auditor General’s Department has initiated an investigation. more..

Mar 30 (Island) Three Sri Lankan seamen held captive in Somalia for over seven months expressed their gratitude to Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama for securing their release. They were Captain Sarath Weerawansa, Wasantha Ratnayake (Chief Engineer) and N. Sokalingam (Third Engineer), who personally called on the Minister recently. Weerawansa, a master mariner with over 33 years of experience, more..

Mar 30 (Island) The UNF has a good and capable team to solve all problems in the country, said Colombo District UNF leader and Colombo North UNP organiser Ravi Karunanayake. The UPFA will be routed in the Colombo district in next month’s parliamentary elections, the former MP added. He said: "April 8 is a crucial day for the people of this country. more..

Mar 30 (DM) UNP Colombo district candidate Srinath Perera said yesterday nothing would be gained by referring retired General Sarath Fonseka’s case to international courts because of Supreme Court directives on earlier verdicts. Mr. Perera said the Supreme Court ruling that verdicts of international courts were not binding would hinder any future reference of cases to it. more..

Mar 30 (Island) On Saturday (27), the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources observed Earth Hour at 8.00 p.m. under the patronage of Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka. The staff of the Ministry spent the day doing their bit to save the planet. Ranawaka congratulated the World Wildlife Fund for initiating Earth Hour in 2007 with the participations of 2.2 million people based only in Sydney, Australia. more..

Mar 30 (DM) Everybody agrees with DIG Gamini Navaratne when he says it is not an easy task to remove the propaganda material of some 7600 candidates contesting polls. However one may also agree that if a strong message is sent to candidates that strict action would be taken against those who violate election laws, the police would not have faced this ordeal. It is nothing but the conviction that one can put up propaganda material and more..

Mar 30 (DM) A tensed situation developed in Rajagiriya a short while ago after police began dismantling a stage erected for a rally scheduled to be held today by UNP Leader Ranil Wickramasingha. The police had brought in water canons to disperse a mob that had gathered in the area to vent their anger at the move. The protestors had sat across the street, demanding more..

Mar 30 (Island) Police arrested Potuvil Pradeshiya Sabha chairman M.S.M. Marzook and vice-vhairman A. M. M. Thajudeen on March 26 and released them on bail the following day. CMEV said police refused to give any details about the incident. Misuse of public property for electioneering, inaction of responsible officers, attacks on party offices and supporters on the increase in the run-up to the more..

Mar 30 (SL) A fundamental reason for the decline in political standards and democratic values since the ’60s has been the ability of political parties that win large majorities to bamboozle the people to think that they and their political principles are infallible and that is the only way to a political nirvana. We have had the so called Bandaranaike Principles drilled into people day more..

Mar 30 (DN) The greatest power youth could have is knowledge and not arms. The policies of national leaders of the past few decades destroyed the rich and valuable lives of thousands of youth who were misled and took to arms, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said. “It is my policy therefore to strengthen our youth to be able to face any challenge in the world as it is my responsibility to ensure that more..

Mar 30 (DM) A report by the British House of Commons, released today, has concluded that that the review and subsequent revocation of nine extant licenses for exports to Sri Lanka is to be welcomed and regretted that arms were exported to Sri Lanka during ceasefire periods. The report by a select committee of members of the House of Commons, available on the House of Commons website and more..

Mar 30 (AD) In an unexpected development, China has restricted Sri Lankan, Pakistani and Bangladeshi nationals’ direct access to Chinese visas from Singapore while Indians would not be facing any such restrictions. It has been learnt from well placed sources that the Chinese Embassy in Singapore earlier this month issued a circular barring the direct entry of Pakistanis living in Singapore into China. more..

Mar 30 (CT) Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has asked that detained Gen. Sarath Fonseka be allowed to be examined by his personal physician and a team of doctors named by the director general of health services. In a statement, Mr. Wickremesinghe says that the General should be given immediate treatment based on the recommendations of such a team of doctors. The entire country knows the deteriorating health condition of Gen. Fonseka since more..

Mar 30 (LT) Secretary General of the UNO Ban Ki-moon revealed that the experts committee to be appointed would not monitor any war crimes or human rights violations. He had told the government of Sri Lanka and the Non Aligned Movement that the committee would advice him and it would not have an agenda to investigate into war crimes and human rights violations alleged to have taken place in Sri Lanka. more..

Mar 30 (Reuters) Sri Lankan voters elect a parliament on April 8 for the first time since the government defeated Tamil Tiger separatists' three-decade insurgency last year and ended one of Asia's longest-running civil wars. President Mahinda Rajapaksa's ruling alliance has its eyes on winning a two-thirds majority in the 225-seat legislature, giving it the votes to amend the constitution to his liking. more..

Mar 30 (IRIN) The latest UN figures show that 160,000 houses in northern Sri Lanka have to be repaired or rebuilt as the conflict-displaced return to their home areas. “That’s what I want the most,” said Nagarajan Kallaiamuda, 22, a returnee to Pulliyankulum village in Mullaithivu District outside her temporary shelter. Her home today is nothing more than four poles surrounded by mud brick walls, topped with a piece of tin roofing that her family has managed to cobble together. more..

Mar 30 (BBC) Early morning on Sunday (27 March) when I was coming through the exit doors of Katunayake International Airport the first scene that caught my eye was a huge vehicle decorated with election posters of a leading candidate of the ruling alliance contesting from the Colombo district. The handsome candidate's laughing face covered almost every single inch of the vehicle. more..

Mar 30 (PTI) The Indian Navy today said it did not see any security threat to the country in the Chinese involvement in building Hambantota port in southern Sri Lanka. "Building the port in Sri Lanka will not hamper our security. India is too vast for that," Southern Naval Command's Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Vice-Admiral KN Sunshil, told more..