June 4 (DM) JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva speaks to the Daily Mirror on the Northern Provincial Council Elections and issues confronting the Tamil people. He noted that the govt had failed to address the genuine grievances of the Tamil people. Following are some excerpts of the interview. Q: In the political circle, there is much talk of the 13th Amendment these days. The JVP was a party that was opposed to the PC system more..

June 4 (SL) The sky rocketing price of electricity has clearly caught the imagination of the public but it has also spurred large numbers to be interested in alternative sources of power like solar energy and the quest for energy-efficient appliances. In the midst of all this seeming chaos the govt has decided on yet another coal power plant – not quite having got its first foray quite right, having shoved, pushed and virtually coerced the Chinese to more..

June 4 (ST) Their home down Dharmarama Road, Colombo 6, is strangely silent. Where there was children’s laughter and play, now there is only deep sorrow and mourning. For, the daughter of Fauzaan Farook and Fathima Naseem who would have celebrated her 6th birthday this month is no more. Little Liyana Maleeka is a child-victim of dengue. These days, dengue deaths like Liyana’s are few and far between particularly in the more..

June 4 (DM) Sri Lanka and China have had historical links that can be traced back several centuries. The Rubber-Rice Pact (1952) was a major watershed in forging close, cordial and durable relations in the post-independence era. China provided steadfast support to Sri Lanka in the fight against terrorism. It was also prompt in providing generous support in financing development following the end of the conflict, more..

June 4 (DN) The Eighth Deyata Kirula project is planned to implement development programmes with a new orientation by utilising the service and expertize of public officials and the maximum participation of the people. Under this project quick solutions will be found for the problems of people by conducting mobile service programmes, Minister Basil Rajapaksa said. He was addressing an awareness programme on the more..

June 4 (Island) Undergraduates of the Sabaragamuwa Uni claimed that the university administration planned to suspend 45 students for organising Saturday’s protest against the suspension of 8 students. Spokesman of the Sabaragamuwa Uni Students’ Collective claimed that there was a list of 45 students, prepared by the disciplinary committee, with the knowledge of Minister S.B. Dissanayake, to be suspended. more..

June 4 (CG) Former Norwegian peace envoy to Sri Lanka Erik Solheim says he is still having a close eye on Sri Lanka despite the end of his mediator role several years ago. Solheim said that he had also met the Tamil Diaspora during his recent trip to Australia. “I am following events in Sri Lanka closely. Reading news. Meeting people,” he said. A former Minister of Environment and International Development in Norway, more..

June 4 (Island) Deputy Speaker Chandima Weerakkody said that the UNP would have to resolve differences among various factions within the party before promoting a brand new Constitution. He said that the UNP move was nothing but a futile exercise meant to prop up the incumbent leadership. Asked whether the SLFP would accept an invitation from the UNP to discuss the proposed proposal Weerakkody pointed out that more..

June 4 (Island) The National Toxicology and Poison Information Centre (NTPIC), of the National Hospital, warned consumers to be careful when buying fruits, especially those available in supermarkets, as they did not display either expiry date or best before date. Several of the cases reported to them related to children who got sick after consuming grapes, apples and oranges purchased from supermarkets in the city. more..

June 4 (DM) The Jathika Sevaka Sangamaya branch at the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) alleged that the standard procedures were not followed when resuming operations at the Sapugaskanda Oil Refinery, which was closed for 17 days. The refinery was closed because of the lack of crude oil. JSS Secretary Ananda Paltiha said laid down procedures were not followed when resuming operations at the refinery was closed from more..

June 4 (CT) Napoleon Bonaparte, an early 19th century French military leader and of the empire of France, once famously said, pointing at the world map, "China is a sleeping elephant. Let him sleep! If he awakes, he will shake the world." Nearly two centuries since then, and during the last quarter of the 20th century, China woke up, only after Deng Xiopeng, who rose to the helm of the Chinese Communist Party during the chaotic aftermath of Mao's death, made a U-turn from the policies more..

June 4 (CT) Vesak this year has proven more eventful than any I’ve experienced in many years past, unfortunately, for the wrong reasons. Being a long week-end and with another more personal occasion to celebrate, we had a house full of visitors, close family mostly. After the usual pre-lunch libations and a typical celebratory Sri Lankan meal, most retired for the post-lunch siesta typical of the tropics, waking refreshed for tea. Not so long after this we were jolted by two strangers more..

June 4 (CT) “Herath said that the IDPs were a major issue in Sri Lanka and that the GSL’s claim that it was waiting to release IDPs because of the need to demine was false. He said that the govt could and should release more IDPs and that the govt’s continued detention of civilians was likely to lead to problems in the future.” the US Embassy Colombo informed Washington. CT found the related leaked cable from the WikiLeaks more..

June 4 (LBO) Stock closed flat with investors continuing to take profit and losses in some index heavy stocks JKH, DIST and NEST. All Share Index closed 02.02 points lower at 6,449.66 and the S&P SL 20 Index closed 10.31 points higher at 3,645.90 up 0.29%. Turnover was one billion rupees up from 752 million day earlier. Foreigners brought 541 million rupees worth shares while selling 102 million rupees of shares, in a day that 87 stocks advanced and 125 stocks declined. more..

June 4 (Island) The Public Health Department, of the Colombo Municipal Council (PHD CMC), urged the Vice Chancellor of the Colombo University to temporarily close the faculties of Law and Management and clean up all mosquito breeding places there. Chief of the PHDCMC said that there had been several dengue cases reported from the two faculties which had prompted the PHD to carry out inspections. Last week the council fumigated the whole area where the two faculties were more..

June 4 (LBO) Sri Lanka Telecom, the island's sole wireline operator which also has mobile and video services, said it had been formally licensed to operate a national backbone with its fibre-optic network. Other operators are also given access to the National Backbone Network . "SLT’s network is ready with the necessary flexibility, capacity and capability to respond to the demands of customers, including supporting the more..

June 4 (AD) UNP MP Wijedasa Rajapaksa today stated that it has come to the point where ministry secretaries and assistant secretaries of state administration services are engaging in politics more than actual politicians. The same law which court-martialed and imprisoned former army chief Sarath Fonseka for speaking politics implies to state administrative officers including ministry secretaries, but today it is them who do politics, he said. He stated that the reason for this is because more..

June 4 (Island) The JHU was calling for the abolition of the Provincial Council system, while enjoying its benefits, the UNP. UNP MP Gayantha Karunathillake, addressing a news conference in Colombo, said that the JHU was a shameless party which changed its principles to suit its needs. He noted that a govt Minister had recently said that the behaviour of some constituent members of the UPFA was akin to "Eating beef while objecting to the slaughter of cattle." more..

June 4 (PTI) The second edition of the Sri Lanka Premier League (SLPL), the local version of the IPL, is to go ahead as scheduled, sports ministry said. Ministry spokesman refuted reports which suggested that minister Aluthgamage entertained doubts about the SLPL's second edition taking place. "The Ministry of Sports wishes to confirm that SLC will conduct the SLPL on the scheduled dates, from Aug 10 to Sept 7, more..

June 4 (Island) The recently unveiled UNP proposal for a new constitution had assured the electorate that a draft Constitution would be submitted for endorsement at a referendum within six months of the formation of a UNP govt, but the problem was that the present UNP leadership did not know how to capture power a rebel UNPer said. The next presidential and parliamentary polls are scheduled for 2016. Those who had prepared the proposal had no idea of President Rajapaksa’s game plan, more..

June 4 (Island) The rainy weather would persist in the coming days due to the southwest monsoon, the Meteorology Department said yesterday. The entire country could expect showers or thunderstorms today, while the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central and Southern Provinces could experience torrential rains, the Met Department said. It cautioned the public to beware of sudden downpours, lightning, strong winds, mudslides, surging rivers and flooding in low-lying areas. more..

June 4 (AD) The UNP says that the people of Sri Lanka will become citizens of a “Chinese colony” in the near future, due to the vast amount of loans the island nation has obtained from the Asian powerhouse. Claiming that the government is now entangled in a severe issue, UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake stated that the President, following his visit to China last week, announced that Sri Lanka has more..

June 4 (Dawn) Pakistan won two prestigious awards at the 2013 SAARC Film Festival awards ceremony held at the National Films Corporation Sri Lanka. Pakistan won awards in the categories of Best Actress and Best Feature Film in this third edition of the annual SAARC Film Festival, which was held from 26 to 31 May. The film festival focuses on promoting some of the best films featured from 2010 to 2012, screening feature and documentary films made by member states of the SAARC more..

June 4 (Island) Embilipitiya Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman M.K. Amila, who was accused of assaulting two police constables attached to Panamure police on May 26, thanked the media for giving him undue publicity and added, "I am not scared of the media and I have not done anything wrong". Amila is the son of Southern Provincial Council Minister M.K. Ranjith alias ‘Chandi Malli’ who was shot dead in 2002 while he was returning after presenting himself at the CID on a more..

June 4 (Reuters) Australian gambling tycoon James Packer is teaming up with a Sri Lankan partner for a $350 million investment in the country's tourism industry, including a hotel with at least 400 rooms, Sri Lanka's investment promotion minister said. Packer, who owns half of casino operator Crown Ltd, met with Sri Lankan ministers in February to discuss hotel and entertainment investment options, officials said. more..

June 4 (LBO) Sri Lanka's larger hotels are starting to use energy and water saving technology but there is potential to save operating costs including in those under construction, a study has found. International Finance Corporation a World Bank unit said among the three, four and five star hotels surveyed good practices were starting to emerge, but there was potential to save on air conditioning, lighting, hot water and water and waste. Some hotels still used older centralized chillers for air conditioning more..

June 4 (CG) Five people were arrested when they attempted to smuggle unfinished jewelry and a large quantity of cigarettes via the Katunayaka airport today. Customs officers nabbed three women with unfinished jewelry including bangles when they were about to board a flight to Chennai. Investigations had revealed that the women had often travelled to Chennai for business. The unfinished jewelry which were seized, were worth over Rs. 5 million. Meanwhile in a separate bust, more..

June 4 (CT) Minister Bandula Gunawardane, today informed Parliament the govt has decided not to allow schools to be ethnicity-based in the future. "We believe the children of this country should mingle with each other so that they would understand each other better. Therefore, the ministry decided not to allow schools to be divided based on ethnicity and do away with Sinhala, Tamil (Hindu) or Muslim schools," he explained. more..

June 4 (CT) A new organization, called the 'Ven. Bowatte Indrarathana Organization' has been established, in order to achieve the five missions that had been at the forefront of the late Ven. Indrarathana Thera's campaigns. Ven. Amatha Dhamma, a member of the organization said, it was set up seven days after the death of the monk where according to Buddhism, it is customary to offer a 'dana' to bestow merit on the dead. Ven. Dhamma further elaborated on the five missions more..

June 4 (IANS) A Sri Lankan court Tuesday sentenced three LTTE members, including a woman, over a deadly train bombing in which 70 people were killed and nearly 400 injured 17 years ago. Two men were awarded 10 years rigorous imprisonment while the woman got a five-year term for the 1996 attack, Xinhua reported. The three were jailed by Colombo High Court Judge Kumudini Wickramasinghe for the bombing which took place in Dehiwala, on the outskirts of Colombo. more..

June 4 (AAP) Two daughters have vowed to support their father, despite him being sentenced to a life term in jail for bashing their mother to death with a hammer in a jealous rage. Sudath Silva, 51, was sentenced to a minimum of 17 years behind bars after admitting to killing his wife Kurukulasuriya in Perth in Feb 2012. Silva wept as Supreme Court Justice Lindy Jenkins said while he had been a devoted father, he had been a jealous more..

June 4 (CT) The police used brutal measures to disperse the protest launched by the undergraduates of the Sabaragamuwa University, student unions charged. On the pretext of enforcing law and order, the police categorically intimidated and assaulted the students, the students union added. If the police had meant to merely disperse the gathering, they would not have gone into hostels and assaulted students who had already retreated from the protests, the IUSF, charged. more..

June 4 (DM) The Ravana Balaya said today it would not permit the building of a shrine in memory of ‘Sita’ with funds from India unless a statue of ‘Ravana’- a mythological King of ancient Sri Lanka, was erected prior to the building of the shrine. The movement’s convener Ven. Itthakande Saddhathissa Thero said they vehemently opposed any move to construct a shrine in memory of “Sita” while neglecting to gloryfy Ravana. “No one can neglect the glory of Ravana. We don’t oppose any move to more..

June 4 (CG) Sri Lanka today backed Belarus when the Special UN Rapporteur on Belarus submitted a report against the country at the 23rd session of the UNHRC meeting in Geneva. The Sri Lankan delegation said that it was disturbing to note that the report of the Special Rapporteur on Belarus emanated from a politicized mandate and was not the result of genuine dialogue with the Belarus govt. “We also note that the human rights more..

June 5 (NS) Deshabandu Sirisumana Godage is a giant in the publishing industry, but his close associates know that he allows individuals with little accomplishments room to approach him. Godage has a soft corner for budding authors and says that his day is not complete if he hasn’t helped somebody. The publishing business (now known as Godage Book Emporium) he started in 1959 has blossomed today into a 4 storied establishment in the heart of Colombo 10 where as many 300 more..

June 5 (NS) Life for students at St Joseph’s College Grandpass is tough not mainly because they have been born into less affluent homes, but because the school’s principal has raised the bar on all aspects of schooling. Bro. R. Joseph Jeyakanthan doesn’t mince his words when there’s a need to air his views on something that needs immediate change. Discipline at the school was lacking when he arrived at St Joseph’s College in 2010. He wanted boys to take up duties as prefects, but more..

June 5 (NS) The decision of the President to hold elections for the Northern Council in September under the present Constitution has brought back those fears that were lurking ever since the 13th Amendment was forced down our throat by India in 1987. The outcome of the election, that it will be won by the TNA is a certainty and once the TNA wins the election it would implement the 13th Amendment fully including land and police more..

June 5 (Island) All of a sudden, the govt has evinced a keen interest in media ethics. It is apparently in a mighty hurry to introduce a code of ethics for journalists in keeping with its ‘laptop and stick’ approach to controlling the so-called Fourth Estate. Is it because its laptop method has failed to yield the desired results that it has chosen to use the ‘stick’ of ethics in dealing with the media? Copies of a draft code of ethics formulated by the govt have been sent to political parties for their perusal, more..

June 5 (ST) Verily, one is not sure whether to be outraged or amused by assurances made by Sri Lankan Govt’s Permanent Representative this week that non-summary proceedings into the brutal killings of 5 students of Tamil ethnicity in Trincomalee during 2006 will commence in the first week of June 2013.This statement made at the 23rd Regular Session of the UNHRC, in Geneva was presumably based on advice tendered by the Attorney General. The UNHRC was also more..

June 5 (SO) Today the pearl white beaches and unruffled sea waves attract thousands of beach lovers to Pasikuda. Before peace was restored in the country in 2009 after the end of three decades of war against terrorism, this destination becoming a tourist marvel was beyond comprehension. Way back from 1971 until 1983, Pasikuda was a popular tourist destination with unending potential for development. more..