Jan 13 (GV) Thenuja Tharmeshwaran (15) waits with hope at the entrance of her school~ Kondavil Hindu Maha Vidyalayam in Jaffna district in Sri Lanka. Her eyes are full and filled with tears and roll down her cheeks while she shares her agony with me sitting closer in Jaffna, North of Sri Lanka. She wears a pristine White pleated frock which is the school uniform with Light Blue and White tie, her hair is middle parted, more..

Jan 13 (GV) “Sethu Samudram” is a three-year collaborative art project and a dialog-making platform between Theertha International Artists Collective, Colombo, Sri Lanka and 1Shanthi Road in Bangalore, India. “Sethu Samudram” is the name of the mythical bridge found in Ramayana, meaning the bridge across the ocean. This bridge connects Sri Lanka and India. There is substantial amount of good reasons to believe the existence of a real “Sethu Samudram”– a bridge more..

Jan 13 (DM) The confidential letter sent by the erstwhile Foreign Minister of Norway ,Jan Petersen to former Tamil Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran which was exposed by ‘Wikileaks’ had shed light on a hitherto unknown side : firstly, it proves that the accusations levelled by the pro Tamil Tiger Diaspora that Norway and the International community were responsible for the devastation of the Tamil Tigers are false; and secondly, the allegations mounted more..

Jan 13 (GV) The notion of the present as history is of course borrowed from Paul Sweezy’s 1953 book by this title which adopts the standpoint of presenting the present as an ongoing process in which the past meets the possibilities pregnant in the future. The timing of an essay using this caption is inspired by the Seventy-fifth anniversary of the LSSP which fell on 18 December 2010. I will lead in to a discussion of the state with more..

Jan 13 (SL) I was flipping through Mahinda’s biography at a book store. The excerpt on the back talked about a miracle when a leaf from the sacred bodhi tree descended upon him. Inside even his childhood was written of in tones of breathless heroism. It was interesting, but not 900 rupees interesting. I put it back. Even Sri Lanka’s in-flight magazine recently had Mahinda Rajapaksa and family on the cover. That publication, Serendib, was taken over by BT more..

Jan 13 (LB) The first day of January is not the first day of a new year to me. Mine comes around in the month of April. On the other hand, this January new year business (yes, that it is) has been embraced by enough people to warrant resolution-making and recommendation-tossing. I was therefore not surprised when Jehan Perera added his two-cents worth to the stack titled ‘Do this and that’. He wrote in The Island of January 3, 2011 that the government more..

Jan 13 (Island) The cancellation of private bus operators' token strike which was to be held on Tuesday is being given different interpretations. The bus owners claim that the government buckled under their pressure and agreed to consider their demands, which include an increase in the minimum bus fare. But, the government propagandists claim that bus owners got cold feet and called off their trade union action unilaterally. more..

Jan 13 (DM) As the country slowly wakes up to the shocking news of an estimated 800,000 people affected by last week’s rains, the proportions of the tragedy must not escape any one of us. Despite continued government assurances that the situation is indeed under their control and aid was reaching the innocent victims, the greater responsibility of the rest of the citizenry to reach out with assistance can not be emphasized more. more..

Jan 13 (FT) In an unprecedented move President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday appointed young business leader Dhammika Perera as the Secretary to the Ministry of Transport. Official sources said it was the first time an active business leader had been appointed to the high civil service post in a Ministry. The Transport Minister is Kumar Welgama. Widely regarded for his acumen as an investor and more..

Jan 13 (Island) In a confidential diplomatic cable dated Nov. 26, 2002, the then Charge d’Affaires of the US mission in Colombo, Lewis Amselem called The Island editorial anti-peace. While expressing delight that "Sri Lanka Peace Process Support Meeting" held in Oslo on the previous day had received lavish and upbeat press coverage back in Sri Lanka, Amselem said: "The editorial in ‘The Island,’ a paper that invariably takes a strongly anti-peace process tack, more..

Jan 13 (DT) A nine-member Sri Lankan delegation visited the Wagah border to witness the flag-lowering ceremony on Wednesday. The delegation included parliament Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa, Minister for Disaster Management AHM Fowzie and others. Punjab Minister for Zakat and Usher Malik Nadeem Kamran accompanied the delegation. Nadeem, while talking to media on the occasion, said that a warm welcome was accorded to the delegation, which will also visit the city’s historic places. more..

Jan 13 (DN) Power lines in most areas have been badly damaged due to torrential rains Minister Champika Ranawaka said. He said that severe damage to the power lines was reported in the Ampara and Batticaloa districts. In addition the power distribution system in most of the areas was also damaged due to trees falling on power lines. However, the Ceylon Electricity Board has not yet estimated the damage since the rains have not ceased. more..

Jan 13 (DM) It was imperative that political parties explain to the public how they intend to select their candidates for upcoming Local Government polls, the election monitor, Peoples Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) said. “The local government elections are of great importance because it is these officials that deal directly with the people at grassroots level. Therefore, we are appealing to all political parties to form a certain criteria in choosing candidates,” more..

Jan 13 (DM) SLMC Leader, Justice Minister Rauff Hakeem, had contacted several foreign missions, especially those of Islamic countries, including Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Maldives, seeking assistance for the people who had been affected by the recent flooding that had hit the country, the Justice Ministry said. The ministry revealed that most of these countries have responded positively to the minister’s request to help victims more..

Jan 13 (LB) M.A. Sumanthiran, TNA MP, in a no-holds barred interview queries as to why no arrests have been made, when in the recent past many killings have taken place in the Jaffna peninsula. He says that these incidents have abruptly mushroomed all over again. He says that the constitutional position on the national anthem was that the Sinhala version of the constitution had the national anthem in Sinhala while the Tamil version had it in Tamil. more..

Jan 13 (DM) The Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) had decided to hold its 16th annual conference in Sri Lanka in March this year. IOTC Executive Secretary Anganuzzi Alijano, who visited Sri Lanka recently, informed Minister of Fisheries Dr. Rajitha Senaratne that the commission had decided to hold their annual conference in Sri Lanka. He had acknowledged that Sri Lanka had maintained international standards when it came to fishing. more..

Jan 13 (Hindu) The Indian government will despatch relief material for the flood-affected people of Sri Lanka, and the first consignment will be sent on Friday, Defence Ministry officials said here. Twenty-five tonnes of relief material, including food, drinking water, sleeping mats, blankets, bed sheets will be sent to Colombo by Friday afternoon. Indian Air Force transport aircraft, IL76, will carry them in two sorties, with the second scheduled to leave on January 17, more..

Jan 13 (ST) From February, there will be no free treatment at government hospitals for persons seeking treatment for alcohol-induced diseases or ailments, or persons who have suffered a mishap or accident as a result of being under the influence of liquor. The Ministry of Health will be issuing a circular giving the hospital charges for treatment in such cases. Persons involved in accidents under more..

Jan 13 (TS) Despite a decision from the Immigration and Refugee Board that suggests things are getting better in Sri Lanka, the acceptance rate for Tamils seeking refuge in Canada ended on an upswing, according to figures provided by the IRB.QMI Agency reported late last year that after accepting more than 80% of all Sri Lankan refugee claims for most of the year, the acceptance rate dropped to 47% in September. more..

Jan 13 (Island) The Navy’s agricultural park at SLNS Kelani, in Uswetakeiyawa has yielded a bountiful harvest due to the efforts of the Naval personnel who took the initiative to turn an acre of arid land, battered by strong sea winds, into a fertile agricultural field filled with rich crops. The innovative agricultural park, an alternative to the traditional agricultural garden concept, is home to a wide range of low-country and up-country vegetables, more..

Jan 13 (Unicef) Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced by flooding in eastern Sri Lanka, where water levels in some areas are two metres higher than normal – and still rising. Preceded by more than a week of intense wet weather, four days of non-stop heavy rain since the weekend have turned part of Sri Lanka into an ever-deepening lake. Crocodiles and snakes are a threat to anyone considering wading through the floodwaters. more..

Jan 13 (DN) Many foreign investors have shown interest to invest in the 400-acre land to be reclaimed in the Galle Face area using extracted soil from the sea. The land is to be used to build commercial buildings, luxury hotels and other high rise buildings. It is planned to erect all buildings in the reclaimed area with over 35 floors. The construction work of the project is likely to be started around February or March. more..

Jan 13 (Island) "The priority now of our country should be ethnic reconciliation. We must not dwell on the past, but look to a common future. In this endeavour the philosophy of Sir Ponnambalam Arunachalam will be of great relevance" said Senior Minister for International Monetary Cooperation Dr. Sarath Amunugama at a meeting held to commemorate the 86th death anniversary of Arunachalam, held in Colombo. The Minister further said that Sir Ponnambalam more..

Jan 13 (DM) The flood situation in Batticaloa and Ampara districts was reaching dangerous levels, the DMC said yesterday. Confirming the situation in Batticaloa Deputy Minister M.L.A.M. Hizbullah cited the situation as ‘extremely bad’ even with the welfare camps being deluged. “We have been compelled to relocate 15 welfare camps. We will shift people to higher grounds. I am also unable to access other areas to look into the needs of the people. more..

Jan 13 (BBC) Three people, including a couple from Kent, have been rescued from a sinking yacht off Sri Lanka after contacting coastguards in Cornwall. Falmouth Coastguard received a call asking for medical advice on Tuesday evening when the skipper of the 14m (46ft) "Baccus" injured his arm. Less than an hour later, in "horrendous" storms, the yacht started to sink. The Broadstairs couple and a Belgian man were rescued by a nearby ship. more..

Jan 13 (Island) Sri Lanka on Wednesday welcomed Switzerland taking tough action against the LTTE rump. An External Affairs Ministry official told The Island that tangible action was needed to stop those making money on the pretext of fighting for the rights of Sri Lankan Tamils. He said the government was confident that operations would continue until the total eradication of criminal gangs targeting the Tamil Diaspora not only in Switzerland but more..

Jan 13 (DM) Stating that the current bad weather was a result of Sri Lanka being affected by the La Nina phenomenon that had hit the entire globe, the Department of Meteorology yesterday warned that the country should be prepared to face any situation that might arise from environmental changes. La Nina is an ocean-atmosphere phenomenon that is the counterpart of El Nino. During a period of La Niña the sea surface temperature across the equatorial Eastern, more..

Jan 13 (DN) In the backdrop of escalating landslides in the country, the Government yesterday said an approval from the National Building Research Organization (NBRO) has been made compulsory for building houses in landslide prone areas in the country. A circular comprising the list of landslide prone areas in each Divisional Secretariat division would be issued to the relevant Local Government institutions within a few days and construction in these areas cannot more..

Jan 13 (NF) Six persons were killed and seven were injured at Aluth Ambalama area in Kosgama early this morning at 3.50. Police said that the accident was a result of a collision between a van and a bus. The injured had been taken to Awissawella hospital. A spokesperson at the Awissawella hospital stated that seven others who sustained injuries in the accident are obtaining in house treatment. Two of the victims who were in critical condition were transferred to more..

Jan 13 (DM) Queen of England along with 53 heads of government would visit Hambanthota in 2013 to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting to be held there, inister G.L. Peiris said. “In 2013, Queen of England along with 53 Heads of State of Commonwealth countries will visit your area. They will attend a Summit called CHOGM which is held every two years. CHOGM is a summit where all the leaders of Commonwealth countries meet for discussion and more..

Jan 13 (DN) Tourist arrivals and investment opportunity creation have helped strengthen mutual friendship and relations between Sri Lanka and France, said External Affairs Minister Prof G L Peiris at the opening of the Rangiri Garment Factory at Rangiri Village, Mirijjawila, Hambantota recently. Earlier Minister Prof Peiris and MP Namal Rajapaksa jointly opened the new factory set up under the direction of more..

Jan 13 (Island) The interpretation, by a five-judge-bench of the Supreme Court, on whether the term ‘Court Martial’ comes within the phrase ‘Any Court’ in article 89/9 of the Constitution, has been sent to the President of the Court of Appeal by the Supreme Court. The Registrar of the Court of Appeal Sarath Pinnaduwa said that the interpretation will be read in the Court of Appeal on January 25, 2011. more..

Jan 13 (IBN) The Sri Lankan navy has opened fire on Indian fishermen in the Indian Ocean killing one and critically injuring another. The firing reportedly occurred as the Lankans believed the Indians were trespassing. But it is not clear whether the fisherman were in Indian territorial waters or in Lanka's.The DMK has taken up the issue with the centre. TN Chief Minister M Karunanidhi has sent a telegram to more..

Jan 13 (DM) Fresh attempts were being made to bring four fishermen currently in Somalia back to Sri Lanka. These fishermen were thought to have been lost at sea after they left to go out fishing from Kalutara in December last year and did not return home. Four of them had been located in Somalia while two others were still missing. S. P. Anthoneymuttu, who was attached to Caritas Sri Lanka, more..

Jan 13 (Island) Sri Lanka Army troops, swiftly responding to the ravaging flood catastrophe, have rescued more than 450 civilians, marooned or trapped in Polonnaruwa, Gravel Kanda, Pallakkadu, Thoppigala, Ampara and Vellaweli areas in the East and elsewhere with the use or Army boats and equipment. On the instructions of the army Commander Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya, general officers commanding the more..

Jan 13 (DM) President Mahinda Rajapaksa at no time pledged to increase the salaries of public servants by Rs. 2,500 in 2011, said Public Administration and Home Affairs Minister John Seneviratne yesterday. “President Rajapaksa instructed me to tell the media that he had never promised a pay hike of Rs. 2,500 in one go in 2011. This is a misinterpretation by the media. more..

Jan 13 (NN) Colombo experienced extreme cold weather this morning with the temperature dropping to a record 18.8°C owing to cloudy conditions, the Department of Meteorology said. A spokeswoman at the Department told News Now.lk that it was the first time in 61 years that the temperature in Colombo had dropped to such an extent. On January 4, 1950 Colombo's temperature had dropped to 15°C but has remained above the 21°C mark since then. more..

Jan 13 (Island) Testifying before the Trial-at-Bar, hearing the ‘White Flag case’, on Wednesday, former Colombo Chief Magistrate Champa Janaki Rajaratne said that two pages of the note book belonging to prosecution witness and Editor of The Sunday Leader Frederica Jansz, which had been produced in the Colombo Magistrate’s Court, in connection with the investigation, were torn out and its last pages remained blank. more..

Jan 13 (GDI) It is the duty of the media to help build amity among all communities,and not contribute to fostering hatred among people, said President Mahinda Rajapaksa addressing the Heads and Editors of the Private and State Media at Temple Trees today. Responding to a question as to what he considered the major challenge in the New Year, President Rajapaksa said it was development, more..