Feb 25 (SL) As I casually glanced to my right soon after 11:30 pm on the 15th of February, I got the biggest jolt of my life thus far. I am not entirely sure and there is no need to have a reason for the glancing after all I was within the sanctity and freedom of my home and in my bedroom. I could be as I was and how I was without fear. That’s the whole essence of ‘a home is his castle’ and all that. So I thought. The shock and fear that more..

Feb 25 (FT) Today, the reach of information and communication technology continues to transform communities from across the world. The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Information Economy Report highlights winning case studies and economies that have contributed towards this unprecedented growth and change. In 2012, the report’s focus is on the role of software development and its impact on economies. The software industry is among one of more..

Feb 25 (ST) An international shipping expert and academic has found it “debatable” as to whether it’s the right time to construct a new port–, referring to the country’s Hambantota port, due to market instability. “Whether it’s the right time is very debatable as the lead time is five or eight years but in the meantime we have had the worst shipping market caused by the world recession and consequently markets have collapsed,” Bruce Ogilvy, International Vice President of more..

Feb 25 (CT) The allegation that Balachandran Prabhakaran, 12-year-old son of LTTE Chief V Prabhakaran, was executed after he surrendered to the Army dates back to the final days of the war. A story that made rounds at that time, among some quarters privy to the final days of the war, made references to a 12-year-old, who appeared from the bush along with four bodyguards on the final day of the war, 19 May 2009. According to reports, he had walked up to the more..

Feb 25 (Island) The school textbooks, which were found in garbage dumps, in Siripura and Dimbulagala, had been thrown by private homes as their children had finished their studies. Director General of Educational Publications Tissa Hewavithana said that according to their investigation, around 60 school textbooks that were found were no longer used by schools. "We allowed students of the government schools to keep text books after the Grade 10 without returning more..

Feb 25 (IANS) A former judge who headed a bench that awarded death sentence to four for the killing of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi said Sunday that the convicts should not be hanged. K.T. Thomas said that since Murugan, Santhan and Perarivalan had spent 22 years in prison, hanging them now would amount to punishing them twice for the same crime. The three men are lodged at the Vellore jail in Tamil Nadu. Thomas told reporters here: "If they are going to be awarded (death sentence) after more..

Feb 25 (Independent) Two eyewitnesses have come forward for the first time to support allegations that the Sri Lankan army executed two Tamil Tiger rebel leaders after they surrendered, carrying a white flag, at the close of the island’s civil war in 2009. Their accounts cast fresh doubt on the Sri Lankan govt’s claim that the rebels were killed by their own supporters and add to a growing body of evidence of war crimes allegedly committed more..

Feb 25 (DN) Recognized bare lands worth over Rs. 5,000 million will be distributed among landless people, said Minister Wimal Weerawansa. He was speaking at a felicitation ceremony for National Housing Development Authority (NHDA) employees held at the National Youth Centre Auditorium in Maharagama recently. He said by recognizing such lands and distributing these lands amongst people who are in need of land had save Rs. 276 million for the National Housing Development Authority. more..

Feb 25 (Hindu) Members of the Dravidar Viduthalai Kazhagam will hold a protest in the city on Monday against the presence of Sri Lankan players in Indian Premier League 2013. A release from the Urban District Secretary of the outfit says the presence of SL players in Chennai Super Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad has hurt the sentiments of Tamils. The owners of the two IPL franchises should send back the players as the Sri Lankan Navy had killed hundreds of Tamil fishermen. more..

Feb 25 (CT) The CEB is spending Rs 33 billion on non-essentials, including Rs 22 billion paid to private sector power generators on expired power purchase agreements, the Public Utilities Commission (PUC), the sole regulator of electricity tariff in the country, has revealed in a report. Dr. Jayatissa de Costa, the Chairman of PUC said the Commission will take steps to reduce Rs 33 billion, deemed non-essential expenses from more..

Feb 25 (KT) Could death be a half-truth? This question is obviously a killer’s last hope and best alibi. There is enough truth in that great genre of mystery fiction to suggest that murder can often be an open debate. This does not help the dead, for there can be no murder without a victim; but this remains a serious concern for the living. Whether murder is committed in cold or warm blood, there is no legitimate end without justice. The pictures depicting the killing of a 12-year-old child, more..

Feb 25 (Island) Three youths, who were speeding on a motorcycle, collided with a car at Veyangoda on Saturday night and died before admission to the Wathupitiwala Base Hospital. OIC of the Veyangoda Police, Sumith Nivunhella said that the accident happened around 10.45 p.m. near the Kumbaloluwa post office on the Veyangoda – Mallehewa road. He said that the motorcycle carrying the three youths collided with a Veyangoda bound car’s right side and then hit a boundary wall of a nearby medical more..

Feb 25 (Island) North Central Province Ayurveda Commissioner Dr. Chandrakumara de Alwis, warded at the National Hospital, Colombo, after Friday morning’s acid attack, relating his harrowing story, said that two persons had visited his official residence, in the very early hours of Friday morning, claiming that they had traveled all the way from Matara bringing a paralytic patient to him for treatment and pleaded with him to more..

Feb 25 (DH) The Centre has told the Supreme Court that it does not accept the prime minister-appointed R K Pachauri panel report and instead wants to pursue the Sethusamudram project which is said to run through the mythological Ram Sethu. “The project has economic, navigational and strategic advantages and therefore, the govt has been pursuing the project. An expenditure of Rs 829.32 crore has already incurred on the project as on June 30, 2012,” the Shipping Ministry said more..

Feb 25 (SG) A 140-page report about sexual violence against Tamils by Sri Lankan security forces prepared by the Human Rights Watch (HRW), a global human rights organization, is expected to be released today. The UNHRC is to open its 22nd session next week. All this is enough to embarrass Sri Lanka, under increasing international pressure to conduct a serious investigation into crimes that may have been committed by its security forces in the final months of the war against the Tigers. more..

Feb 25 (TOI) The shores of Katchatheevu islet on the Palk Straits, otherwise closed for Indian fishermen, were opened for the two-day St Antony Church festival that commenced on Saturday. Though the festival this year comes in the backdrop of mounting tension over the alleged execution of LTTE chief V Prabakaran's son, the islet where fishermen from Tamil Nadu and Sri Lankan congregated wore a festive look. more..

Feb 25 (National) The 25-year-old all-rounder will lead the country in Tests and one-day internationals while playing under another promising youngster, Dinesh Chandimal, 23, in Twenty20s. Mathews could not have wished for a better time, place or opponent to lead Sri Lanka against than Bangladesh at home. He has his sights set on ending the team's slide in the ICC rankings. Sri Lanka have been the top-ranked T20 side since their run to the World Twenty20 final in September, more..

Feb 25 (WP) Regarding the Feb. 19 editorial “Sri Lanka’s descent”: Following Sri Lanka’s 26-year conflict with the LTTE, an internationally proscribed terrorist organization, the govt had three priorities. Sri Lanka removed the threat of land mines laid by the LTTE and resettled 300,000 internally displaced people and is in the process of fostering national reconciliation. I am sure that Sri Lankans and The Post’s editorial board are in agreement over the need for lasting peace. more..

Feb 25 (AT) Six Contract Documents were signed between High Commission of India, Colombo and four Contractors in the premises of the Consulate General of India, Jaffna in the presence of High Commissioner of India, Ashok K Kantha, and Governor of Northern Province G.A. Chandrasiri. Consul General of India in Jaffna V.Mahalingam was also present. The Contract was signed yesterday, by Suresh Menon, more..

Feb 25 (PTI) India is taking steps to secure the release of five fishermen taken into custody by the Sri Lankan Navy in 2011 on the charge of smuggling narcotics, a top official said here today. "Efforts are on to get the release of five fishermen who were taken into custody by Sri Lankan navalmen on charges of smuggling narcotics in 2011," Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Ashok K Kantha said. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of St Anthony's church festival at Katchatheevu more..

Feb 25 (CT) Tamil teachers across the country face language barriers in the administrative sector as the Education Zonal Offices provide documents to teachers only in the Sinhala Language, the Ceylon Teachers’ Union (CTU), charged today. CTU General Secretary, Joseph Stalin, said Tamil teachers face numerous difficulties as they do not receive forms or any other document in the Tamil language although the Ministry of National Languages and Social Integration has more..

Feb 25 (TOI) India will vote in support of a US-backed resolution against Sri Lanka proposed to be moved before the UNHRC in Geneva next month, Union minister in the Prime Minister's Office V Narayansamy said on Sunday. He said that PM Manmohan Singh has promised to support the resolution against Sri Lanka on war crimes and human rights violations at the UNHRC meeting. Narayanasamy said he along with MPs from more..

Feb 25 (DM) An independent survey has revealed that the prices of essential goods in the urban sector have gone up by 21.6% over the past year. This is more than double the Colombo Consumer Price Index figure which is 9.8 per cent. Such bogus statistics are the worst forms of lies and millions of people are supposed to eat them and they probably get political indigestion. The survey was only on the basic expenses like food, fuel, electricity, communication and transportation borne by more..

Feb 25 (DM) Never before in mankind’s history has the interaction with symbols intensified as today. Popularly called, ‘symbolic interaction’ in the field of sociology, this has led the world into social issues the world has known only in a recent times. Being alert to all these issues coming off man on man is the more cultured international social entity ‘the greens’ and their movement ‘the green movement’ that makes the money hungry collectivity in the developed world ‘go red.’ more..

Feb 25 (KSA) Like the proverbial phoenix rising from the ashes of war, Kilinochchi has come a long way since being the de facto headquarters of Tamil Tiger extremists. Held under siege by the Tigers, the town saw some of the heaviest fighting of Sri Lanka's civil war and lay destroyed at the conflict's end in May 2009. Since then, the govt's Uthuru Wasanthaya (Northern Spring) programme has fast-tracked more..

Feb 25 (SL) Although there has been much spoken about those disabled in the government forces, little has been heard or said about the disabled LTTE cadres that were injured during the war that plagued the country for three decades. While the government troops are said to have over 5000 of its personnel disabled, except for a few that had surrendered to the govt forces there has not been any account of what happened to more..

Feb 25 (ENS) “Welcome to Sri Lanka”, read a banner put up by the Island Nation government to greet visitors at the entry point of the tiny island in Palk Strait. Lankan flags fluttered high on either side of the banner. Moving into the island after the security clearance, banners bearing the smiling face of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa welcomed people to the annual festival of St Anthony’s Shrine. more..

Feb 25 (ST) Friday night’s fuel price increase has sparked strong reactions from the general public. The CPc has raised by three rupees the price of a litre of 90-octane petrol, 95-octane petrol, and super diesel, while a litre of auto diesel has gone up by six rupees. These categories of fuel now cost Rs. 162, Rs. 170, Rs. 121 and Rs. 145 per litre respectively. Kerosene has gone up by four rupees and now sells at Rs. 115 per litre. more..

Feb 25 (AT) High Commissioner of India, Ashok K. Kantha visited Vavuniya on 23 February 2013 to inspect progress in the construction of the 200-bed Ward Complex at District Hospital, Vavuniya. He was accompanied by the Consul General of India in Jaffna Mr. V.Mahalingam. Provincial Secretary of Health and Indigenous Medicine Mr. Raveendran, Dr. T. Sathaymoorthy, Incharge, Vavuniya District Hospital and more..

Feb 25 (PTI) Objecting to a Sri Lankan Minister's announcement that Lankan fishermen would rally against their Indian counterparts, DMK chief M Karunandihi today described it as a "planned strategy" by Colombo to divert off attention from the "tyrannies" of Rajapaksa govt. Minister Douglas Devananda's statement warning of a protest "seem to be a planned strategy by Sri Lanka to divert off attention from the tyrannies of the Rajapaksa more..

Feb 25 (DN) The Bandarawela Divisional Agriculture Research Centre produced a new hybrid carrot variety called Lanka Carrot. This hybrid carrot variety was developed following long term research by the research centre. "This variety has been recommended to the Agriculture Department by the Varietal Release Committee (VRC)," Agriculture Ministry sources said. "Seeds of Lanka Carrot, resistant to common diseases more..

Feb 25 (DM) The son of Minister Maithreepala Sirisena together with a group of his friends had allegedly severely assaulted the son of DIG Ravi Waidyalankara last evening, resulting in the victim being admitted to the ICU of the Batticaloa hospital. Minister's son together with 13 other friends under the influence of liquor had assaulted the DIG’s son after he had objected to the Ministers son and his friends taking pictures naked while the more..

Feb 25 (AFP) Hackers have attacked Sri Lanka's media ministry by placing a documentary about alleged war crimes during the island's ethnic war on its website, an official said Monday. The hackers identifying themselves as "H4x0r HuSsY" uploaded a link to an Australian Broadcasting Corp report on atrocities during the final stages of Sri Lanka's battle against separatist Tamil Tiger rebels in 2009. "Stop Killing Innocent Tamil Ppl! Or Get more..

Feb 25 (GDI) Sri Lanka is to conduct an island wide Census next month on deaths/ injuries to persons and property damages during the period of the conflict as recommended by the LLRC. This census to be conducted jointly by the Ministry of Public Administration and Home Affairs and the Department of Census and Statistics will cover the conflict period from 1983 up to the end of war in May 2009. more..

Feb 25 (LT) 50 of the 85 police personnel who have been deployed at Dambulla International Cricket Stadium where women’s ODI matches between Sri Lanka and West Indies teams are being played have to forego their breakfast and lunch and carry out their duties in empty stomachs say reports. The second of the three match series was held on the 24th. The police officers who were on duty for the 1st and 2nd matches of the series have not got their breakfast and lunch. The third and more..

Feb 25 (Island) There were 1,080 acres of unclaimed land countrywide belonging to the National Housing Development Authority, said Minister Wimal Weerawansa, quoting a recent survey conducted by the NHDA. The value of those lands had been estimated at around Rs. 5,000 million, he said addressing a ceremony titled ‘Sevaka Pranama 2012’ at the National Youth Centre in Maharagama to felicitate the NHDA employees last week, a ministry release more..

Feb 25 (CT) The govt, downplaying the importance of the 22nd Sessions of the UNHRC due to start in Geneva today, decided to send a low profile delegation consisting only of officials to represent the country. This was interpreted by the UNP as accepting defeat even before the Sessions could start. Refuting the allegations, Minister, Keheliya Rambukwella, said the govt is moving on the UNHRC matter ‘strategically’ and that it is fully prepared, internally and externally, more..

Feb 25 (CT) Of course, when I say “Sinhala psychosis”, I don’t mean all Sinhalese: it’s merely an imprecise, but convenient, shorthand. Several Sinhalese individuals and groups, recognizing the Sinhala psychosis, its irrationality, hatred and what they lead to, stand up against it, at great cost to themselves and their families. They do so on grounds of principle and ethics; on the conviction that all human beings are essentially equal and, therefore, entitled to equal treatment. more..

Feb 25 (CT) “Accountability for alleged crimes committed by GSL troops and officials during the war is the most difficult issue on our bilateral agenda. (NOTE: Both the State Department Report to Congress on Incidents during the Conflict and the widely read report by the University Teachers for Human Rights (Jaffna) also detailed many incidents of alleged crimes perpetrated by the LTTE. Most of the LTTE leadership was more..