June 25 (DM) The Sri Lankan Acting High Commissioner in UK P. M Amza while refuting unsubstantiated allegations in the Channel4 video pointed out the glaring errors in the film and the misrepresentation of what is said in Tamil language. The Commissioner also questioned the motive behind Channel 4’s vindictive campaign against Sri Lanka. Emphasizing that Sri Lanka has set a domestic mechanism in motion to look into all matters of concern Acting High Commissioner P. M Amza pointed out more..

June 25 (CI) The BCCI has refused to change its stance on preventing Indian players from taking part in the Sri Lanka Premier League (SLPL) despite Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) offering bank guarantees to safeguard the Indian players' contracts. The two boards held a telephone conference on Thursday to discuss the issue, but were unable to come to an agreement. SLC, however, is expected to go ahead with the tournament as scheduled without the Indian players. more..

June 25 (DM) The government has to pay US $ 111.21 million which is roughly around to Rs. 11.1 billion in terms of interests for the US $ 307 million loan obtained from China for the Hambantota Ports Development Project, P8/.+ liament was informed today. The total cost of the project is US $ 360 million, and of it only US $ 54 million is financed by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority. The rest of the amount has been obtained from EX-IM Bank, China. more..

June 25 (Guardian) Thilina Kandamby will be the most experienced captain at the toss in Bristol when England take on Sri Lanka on Saturday. He has never led his country before but he has captained at club level back home, which outstrips Stuart Broad's record. Kandamby, 29, is a forthright left-hander, who has played 33 one-day internationals and four Twenty20 matches without much success (he averages 3.25 with the bat in international Twenty20). more..

June 25 (DP) "We thought we were going to die...because we were not seeing any land, or light, or any boat or anything." Sooriyakumaran Sathananthan was among more than 150 Tamil asylum-seekers discovered in a pair of crammed lifeboats off the coast of Newfoundland in August, 1986. The Tamil refugees, who had fled persecution in Sri Lanka, were quickly granted work permits by Canadian authorities. Nearly a quarter-century later, when another boatload of Tamil migrants reached more..

June 25 (TA) After a decade of war and no sign of a military solution, only a political settlement with moderate Taliban can achieve long-sought stability and pave the way for a withdrawal of Western troops. But what happens when there is no middle ground, no moderates to appeal to and a bitter ethnic divide driven by nationalistic chauvinism on the one hand and an ingrained persecution complex on the other? more..

June 25 (CI) With 15 months to go until Sri Lanka host the next World Twenty20 in September 2012, England's preparations for the defence of their title get underway this weekend. Their victorious captain, Paul Collingwood, has been put out to pasture; their point-of-difference seamer, Ryan Sidebottom, has retired to see out his days with Yorkshire. Instead, it's over to the untested leadership of Stuart Broad, whose first match in charge promises to be a stiff challenge more..

June 25 (PT) One week after broadcast, Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields has been watched by over a million viewers in the UK* and over 270,000 views worldwide on VoD. The film has been viewed on 4oD in over 30 countries. On Tuesday, the film was screened to diplomats and US media in New York. United Nations missions from the US, India, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and East Timor attended. The Sri Lankan govt sent a delegation of eight with Mr Palitha T.B. Kohona, more..

June 25 (CI) Upul Tharanga has been handed a three-month suspension from all cricket and cricket-related activities by the ICC for failing a drugs test during the 2011 World Cup. The ICC accepted the offence was not deliberate and the suspension was back-dated to begin on May 9 2011, which means Tharanga will be eligible for selection from August 9. "I apologise to the fans and followers of Sri Lanka cricket for inadvertently committing an offence," more..

June 25 (LG) The local INFO TV (GFU) channel has been repeating in recent weeks the telecast of an international landmark in documentary film making, which brought immense admiration world over to Sri Lanka; then Ceylon. It’s a genuine depiction of life and culture in this resplendent Isle in the 1930s as seen by a British director by the name of Basil Wright. This film is available on U Tube, if anyone wishes to see it. The title of the film is ‘Song of Ceylon’. more..

June 25 (LG) Statements made by a group of scientists from universities have provoked much debate, arguments and concerns among the public, as well as responsible groups of scientists, private sector commercial organizations and concerned politicians. It is the expected norm among the scientists, and in the culture of science, to verify the validity of such statements themselves, before releasing their findings into the public domain. The objective of article is to bring more..

June 25 (Cimic) Troops of the 513 Brigade of Security Forces Headquarters - Jaffna (SF-J) continuing their community welfare projects in the area distributed school items and parcels of dry ration among civilians on Thursday during a function held at the Mahajana Sabha Hall, Alaveddy. Under this latest programme, scholarships were awarded to 25 schoolchildren selected from families with law income. Each student was given a more..

June 25 (LG) The Scotland Yard and the British Tax Authorities (HM Revenue & Customs) either in slumber mood or evading opening a can of worms. I am talking of the millions of dollars and pounds in the hands of the LTTE proxy Diaspora in UK, how they raised that kind of money (according to Jane’s Report , LTTE collects close to $300 millions a year world wide which I believe UK would account at least 50% of it) and how the money is now being spent for its propaganda. more..

June 25 (LG) On 19 October 2010, the Parliament of Sri Lanka passed a Bill pertaining to an Act to make provision for the regulation, control, and related matters of civil aviation and to give effect to the Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago Convention); and for matters connected therewith and incidental thereto. The Bill was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers on 15 September 2010 to be presented in Parliament for enactment. It is encouraging that the more..

June 25 (TC) The screening of the Ch4 documentary Sri Lanka’s killing fields In NY has given the opportunity for Sri Lanka’s permanent Representative to the UN, Dr Palitha Kohona and his Deputy, General Shavendra Silva to respond to some of the allegations presented in the programme. The programme shows an incident where the UN had been requested to pullout of Kilinochchi and some civilians had gathered outside the UN office, protesting about the more..

June 25 (Island) The media has many uses that range from giving news and opinion, providing education, criticism, dissent, entertainment and venting one’s anger at the establishment, to name some. Of late we see a very special use of the media – for the expression of frustration. And, Channel 4 of the UK scores highest in this category of media today. It is at once both a source and channel for those who are still unable to get over the fact that the LTTE has been militarily defeated more..

June 25 (NS) The most Channel 4 ‘revelation’ about the ‘last days of the war’ (i.e. the military moves to annihilate the LTTE and rescue hundreds of thousands of people being held hostage by that ruthless terrorist organisation) makes some serious claims of excess by the Sri Lankan security forces. The allegation is that the Government of Sri Lanka sanctioned executions, atrocities and shelling of civilians. The documentary also blames the LTTE for using civilians as human shields. more..

June 25 (Island) Rajani Thiranagama, an academic attached to the Medical Faculty of the University of Jaffna, was brutally shot and killed allegedly by an LTTE cadre in 1989. It was she, along with a few of her colleagues in the University of Jaffna who formed the University Teachers for Human Rights which became well known for the courageous stand they took against violations of human rights by the different actors in the Thirty Years War. more..

June 25 (LB) Sri Lanka Cricket is teetering on the edge. It’s bankrupt. Worse, it has begged for a govt grant of 2 billion rupees as a bail out package. But that’s hardly enough to clear SLC’s mountainous debt amounting to over 4.2 billion rupees. Even if it gets the Cabinet approval, SLC will remain bankrupt, not only because it needs to find closer to 2.2 billion rupees to clear the backlog, but because the same cycle will continue as long as the the visionless bureaucrats call the shots at more..

June 25 (LB) Despite Minister of Sports Mahindananda Aluthgamage not having appointed a new selection committee for rugby, a four-member group having convened under the chairmanship of former Sri Lanka winger Chandrishan Perera, had chosen a 35-member squad for the upcoming Youth Asiad in Hong Kong. Minister said that 10-names forwarded by the SLRFU from which to choose the new selection committee, had been in turn forwarded by him to the National Selection Board. more..

June 25 (DM) Q. The Mahinda Chinthana details plans to make Sri Lanka a “knowledge hub”, what progress have you made on this front after you became Minister of Higher Education? A: We see that the Chinese Universities, Indian Universities and European Universities that establish branches in Sri Lanka do so in order to attract students from the Asian region and as opposed to Sri Lankan students alone. This goes to show that not only do we have the more..

June 25 (DM) This is not the first time Channel-4 was eager to show its over-brimming media generosity towards the LTTE – which is struggling to rise from its grave -- nor will this be the last. But the question as to why the UK based channel could not extend a similar degree of sympathy towards the innocent civilians, who became victims of ruthless suicide attacks by the LTTE, is very much worth pursuing. The documentary, irrespective of the credibility of its content, more..

June 25 (DM) On Air, BBC answers to a London Call for Aunty Beeb. Her Randy Niece is Channel 4.Both live off portions of state licensing revenues while Aunty is the recipient of govt grants; Aunty and Niece have to street walk to collect funds to survive - sources being predominantly fat cat corporations. Diaspora are lavish on pleasing the media. The young lass is an easier and cheaper prey to solicit than the aged relative. They live on the pride of a self proclaimed holy trinity of more..

June 25 (GV) Groundviews caught up with Callum McCrae, Director of the highly controversial and very disturbing film by Channel 4, Sri Lanka�fs Killing Fields, in New York, a day before the film was due to be screened for senior diplomats, UN staff and others at the Church Centre, in front of the UN Headquarters. Callum was joined by Marion Bentley, Channel 4�Œs Publicity Manager. The interview is around 43 minutes. more..

June 25 (Island) There seems to be no end to the unbridled exploitation of the voiceless public in this Democratic, Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. The main coalition partner of the incumbent government proudly calls itself the UPFA. But, given the freedom of the wild ass that some unscrupulous businessmen enjoy to fleece the public with impunity, one may wonder why the UPFA should not change its name to UMFA or the United Mudalalis' Freedom Alliance. more..

June 25 (DM) With the annual dengue epidemic this year reaching its deadliest proportions, and other mysterious diseases like the viral flu or rat fever hitting hundreds of people, the government is taking urgent curative and preventive measures. Raids by health ministry officials on mosquito breeding sites are not enough. The people need to realise the immense danger involved and cooperate fully and willingly in tackling these diseases. The Rajapaksa regime and the health ministry while more..

June 25 (DBS) “Sinhalaisation” of North continues. Tamil village in Vavuniya district re-settled with Sinhalese without knowledge of district administration. Kokkachchaankulam is a Tamil village in Vedivaithakallu GS div under Nedunkerny divisional secretary in the Vavuniya North Piradesha sabhai. Kokkachchaankulam can be reached via Semamadu, Oothukulam & Ariyakundam. Nedunkerny can be reached from Kokkachchaankulam via Vedivaithakallu. more..

June 25 (Island) Several Muslim organizations have requested President Mahinda Rajapaksa to appoint a permanent independent committee to deal with Haj pilgrimages stating that appointments of politicians to such a committee had resulted in many abuses. These organizations say that the Haj committees so far appointed have commercialized the pilgrimages serving the needs of Haj travel agents by allowing them to fleece the Haj pilgrims. It was noted that the committee appointed to more..

June 25 (Island) The Public Health Department of the Colombo Municipal Council said that 26 cases had been filed, at the Maligakanda Magistrate’s Court, against food retailers from Pettah, Maradana, Narahenpita and Thimbirigasyaya. The chief of the CMC’s PHD, Dr. Pradeep Kariyawasam, said that warrants had been issued against three of the owners. He said on Friday that the charges against the eateries were for food contamination, adulteration and unhygienic preparation. more..

June 25 (FT) The Govt has roped in several big guns in the business world to market Sri Lanka’s bid for the 2018 Commonwealth Games. Five ‘Bid Awareness Sub Committees’ have been set up with mandates to concentrate on different regions – Asia, America and Europe, Oceania, Caribbean and Africa. Premier blue chip JKH Chairman Susantha Ratnayake who is also Chairman Tea Board is heading the Asia region Sub Committee whilst business leader Dhammika Perera more..

June 25 (DN) The fourth day of the National Mosquito Control Week ended with the detection of 2,808 places with dengue mosquito larvae. Legal action was taken against 1,811 people whose homes and gardens were found to have mosquito breeding nurseries. The inspectors detected 24,982 potential dengue mosquito breeding sites during their inspections and issued warnings to 48,841 house owners who kept mosquito breeding sites within their properties. more..

June 25 (TS) Mr Prasad Kariyawasam is Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to India. He has also served in New York and Geneva as Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations. He joined the Lankan foreign service in 1981 and has held diplomatic assignments in Geneva, Riyadh, Washington and New Delhi. He has served as the Deputy High Commissioner in India holding the rank of an Ambassador, the Consul-General of Sri Lanka in Switzerland and the personal representative of more..

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June 25 (Island) The DNA said that the govt had increased the allocation for foreign students to enter Lankan universities tenfold by depriving students from remote areas, seeking higher education. DNA Group Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake, said previously the foreign students had been given only 0.5 percent allocation of the student intake but according to the new Handbook issued by the UGC this allocation had been increased to five percent. more..

June 25 (DN) A police constable found in Iranawila beach, Chilaw, gagged and with his hands and legs tied, was rescued and admitted to the Chilaw Base Hospital by the Chilaw Police on Thursday around 8.30 p.m. following a tip-off from a member of the public. Investigations revealed that the constable had been kidnapped at Dambulla by an unidentified group who held him in captivity for two days, making several demands and later taken to Chilaw and dumped in the sea. more..

June 25 (DM) Only seven per cent of the family members and relatives of detainees who had come to the Terrorist Investigation Department (TID) were able to obtain the information they were looking for since most of inquiries had been about detainees in military custody. Police media spokesman Prishantha Jayakody said about 1,300 family members and relatives had come to TID offices in Vavuniya, Boosa and Colombo while the TID had also received nearly 250 calls about their loved ones in custody. more..

June 25 (DN) Minister Basil Rajapaksa will inaugurate a provincial road development project in the Ratnapura district today. The project is launched by the Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council with funding from the Economic Development Ministry under the 2011 budget proposal, states an Economic Development Ministry press release. A stretch of 275 km of the provincial roads will be developed and carpeted in the Ratnapura district under this programme. more..

June 25 (Island) Teachers of the Music and Visual Arts faculties, of the University of Visual and Performing Arts, resigned from their voluntary administrative posts yesterday in support of the trade union action launched by the Federation of University Teachers Association (FUTA) demanding an immediate pay hike. "So far over 15 teachers have submitted their resignation letters," said President of the Visual Arts Faculty Teachers Union Chandragupta Thenuwara. more..

June 25 (DN) Visiting Finance Minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain Sheikh Ahmed bin Mahamed Al Khalifa called on President Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees and held wide ranging discussions yesterday morning. The bilateral agreement between Sri Lanka and Bahrain to prevent double taxation gained prominence during the discussions. This agreement for avoidance of double taxation in respect of goods and services was extremely beneficial for more..