Apr 27 (FT) Sri Lanka’s plans to host the important Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES Cop18) has been postponed. Previously it was scheduled for 23 May to 3 June at the BMICH in Colombo. In a notice CITES said following Easter Sunday attacks in Sri Lanka, the Secretariat consulted the Standing Committee about the implications for CoP18, SC71 and SC72. Following consultations, parties have agreed to postpone the events in Sri Lanka, more..

Apr 27 (AD) PM Ranil Wickremesinghe on Friday apologised to the nation for the failure to protect victims from Sunday’s explosions which killed 310 people and injured over 500. In a statement on his official twitter account, he said “We take collective responsibility and apologise to our fellow citizens for our failure to protect victims of these tragic events.” "We pledge to rebuild our churches, revive our economy, more..

Apr 27 (CT) SL College of Psychologists states that they have taken steps to provide psychological treatment for people affected by the carnage on 21 April. In a letter titled Psychological support at a time of national grief, the College stated that they share the grief of individuals and communities in the aftermath of the irreprehensible and senseless attacks on Easter Sunday. “We have already started psychologically supporting those affected. The initial approach in disasters more..

Apr 27 (USE) Reconsider travel to Sri Lanka due to terrorism. On April 26, the Department of State ordered the departure of all school-age family members of US govt employees in Kindergarten through 12th grade. Department also authorized the voluntary departure of non-emergency US govt employees and family members. Terrorist groups continue plotting possible attacks in Sri Lanka. Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, transportation more..

Apr 27 (AD) A total of 15 bodies including women children have been recovered from the site of explosions at Sainthamaruthu, Kalmunai. The bodies of 6 males, 3 females and 6 children have been discovered at the house where the blasts occurred last night. Meanwhile another woman and a child who were found injured in the incident have been hospitalized. Four bodies suspected to be that of the suicide bombers more..

Apr 28 (SO) Dharma Deepa is the best place to be in this moment of spiritual agony. The outburst of sweeping security measures, the multiple civil society and religious responses of social healing and charitable support are the nation’s immediate, reflexive, responses to last Sunday’s horror and tragedy. But, even as we respond to the needs of the survivors and of the security of society, economy and polity, as a national community we are still stunned by what happened on Easter Sun, more..

Apr 28 (CT) It has been exactly a week since a series of suicide bombings sent shockwaves throughout the nation on Easter Sunday, killing over 250 people including 40 foreigners and injuring nearly 500. We have grieved. We have mourned. And we have buried our dead. Now it’s the time to ask the tough questions. Within hours of the devastating attack, a letter purportedly sent by the DIG in charge of VIP security to Ministerial Security Division, started circulating on social media. more..

Apr 28 (SO) A series of coordinated bombings on Easter Sunday shattered a relatively calm period in the country, threatening to restore factional tensions that fueled a three- decade civil war. The govt has acknowledged major lapses in governance and its failure to prevent the dreadful Easter Sunday tragedy, despite a prior intelligence warning. In this interview, Political Scientist Prof. Jayadeva Uyangoda gives an in-depth more..

Apr 28 (ST) One week after the heinous bomb blasts that shattered the calm of an Easter Sunday, the pall of grief and anxiety that enveloped this country, has not lifted. The dastardly attacks by crazed religious bigots condemned by their own community were another sad chapter of contemporary SL history, and compounded by the fact that it could have been avoided, or in the least, mitigated. Local Intel agencies had the ball, and dropped it. The chronic in-fighting within the Govt led them to more..

Apr 28 (Island) Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando lost his job, the other day, after admitting, in a brief interview with the media, that though he had received intelligence warnings of possible terrorist attacks, he did not anticipate terror strikes of such a magnitude. Why he and other grandees in the defence establishment had been taken unawares has now become patently clear. They failed to assess the threat properly let alone take stern action to neutralise it because more..

Apr 28 (Island) Things have not yet come back to normal in Sri Lanka after last Sunday’s multiple bomb attacks. The sheer magnitude of the attack, the fact that it was so unexpected, the fact that various agencies of the govt had prior information about an impending attack and that this carnage could easily have been avoided, has sent the nation into a state of shock. In this interview, MP Bandula Gunawardene speaks about more..

Apr 28 (CT) I was standing amidst a pool of heads in front of the gigantic iron gates of St. Sebastian’s Church in Katuwapitiya, Negombo while the scorching sun was shining directly on my head. If it was a normal sunny day I could have gone inside the Church. But that day was not like any other normal days. A day before that this beautiful and peaceful Church had turned into nightmare when a person who was blinded by his religious faith blew himself inside the Church’s main hall and more..

Apr 28 (AJ) Shortly after a spate of bombings tore through churches and hotels in SL on Easter Sunday, country's PM Ranil Wickremesinghe admitted that a top police official had warned the govt of impending attacks on the country's Christian minority. "The information was there," he told reporters a day after the attacks which killed more than 250 people. But adequate precautions were not taken, he said. Amid mass burials and growing public anger over more..

Apr 28 (SO) On Wednesday, silence reigned over the Eastern town of Batticaloa. The often bustling commercial town appeared to be in deep mourning. As shuttered shop fronts displayed white flags, the streets were decorated with banana trees according to Tamil tradition for the funerals of fellow residents mercilessly killed just four days ago. The loss of life in one what can only be deemed as a terrorist attack was the first of its kind more..

Apr 28 (CT) It was Canadian Parliamentarian of Sri Lankan origin, Gary Anandasangaree who made a precise observation of the Easter Sunday tragedy which led to the untimely deaths of more than 350 people on this holy day. It wrecked one of the oldest Catholic shrines, St. Anthony’s Church, Kochchikade, which had attracted Pope John Paul II to halt his bullet proof vehicle in front of the church and walk into the shrine during his two-day visit to Sri Lanka on 20 and 21 Jan 1995. more..

Apr 28 (ST) My dear Mother Lanka, It is with profound grief and sadness that I write to you as we try to recover from the horrors of the bloodbath last week and come to terms with the fact that this land of ours may not be a safe haven any more. As we do so, we have many questions for which we are struggling to find honest answers. Having blessed our land with peace after nearly 30 years of war, Mother Lanka, you kept us safe when terrorism was erupting elsewhere in the rest of the world. more..

Apr 28 (ST) The Selection Committee of the Sri Lanka Athletics Association (SLAA) has decided to launch an investigation into the dismal performance of the Sri Lankan athletes at the 23rd Asian Athletics Championships held in Doha, Qatar recently. The 15-member strong (men and women) SL contingent managed to secure just a solitary bronze medal through the efforts of Vidusha Lakshani in the Women’s triple jump event. more..

Apr 28 (Island) Fast bowler Graeme Labrooy represented Sri Lanka in over 50 int'l games, but not a single one of them was at home. Throughout Labrooy’s career, Sri Lanka was a no go zone for international cricket teams due to the civil war, much like what Pakistan cricketers experience these days. For more than five years – from Apr 1987 to Aug 1992, no international team visited the island due to political unrest. Easter Sunday’s bombings killing more than 250 people more..

Apr 28 (ST) If dashing opener Kusal Janith Perera (KJP) was born in to the Red Indian clan, his name would probably be Spirited Fighter. To confer KJP with that nickname or title there are reasons beyond just one. If KJP had opted to bow down to the ban imposed by the ICC in Dec 2015, SL’s wouldn’t have pulled off that dramatic Test win against South Africa in Durban few months ago, and beyond that he wouldn’t be travelling to England for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019. more..

Apr 28 (ST) Ministry of Defence has advised sports associations and organisers of sports events to hold back competitions and events for a few more days, until the prevailing security situation of the country eases, in the aftermath of the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks which claimed over 250 lives. Last Sunday (21), few notable sporting events were called off, while SL Schools Rugby Football Association postponed its first week matches more..

Apr 28 (SO) Cowardly Jihadist bombings of unarmed civilians in churches and hotels have threatened to shatter or may have ruined the dreams and aspirations of many of the country’s youth rugby players as the 2019 inter-school season was put on hold with no proper hint of its recommencement. The season was to enter its final phase after a three-week break on April 22 when the unprecedented tragedy occurred causing confusion and uncertainty as the best 8 schools moved into top gear more..

Apr 28 (Island) The Easter Sunday carnage in SL has raised the fundamental question of who in authority could be ultimately held responsible for ignoring the credible intelligence warnings, which could have averted the massacre of innocents on an unspeakable magnitude. Both the local and international media reported extensively on how even foreign intelligence services had warned SL of possible attacks. If the vital security information had been shared and acted upon, more..

Apr 28 (Island) Sri Lanka Cricket has turned down a request by the national cricket team and the coaching staff to travel overseas for training after their scheduled high intensity sessions were called off following the deadly suicide attacks on Easter Sunday. The national cricket team was supposed to begin a three day team bonding session at the Special Forces camp at Maduru Oya in Habarana earlier this week followed by more..

Apr 28 (CT) In a surprise move SLC demoted their decorated ‘A’ Team coach, Avishka Gunawardana following what had been a huge success story. Gunawardene, who sat down with the selectors to choose the ‘A’ Team, had later been informed about the change by a senior official of the SLC and asked to take charge of Emerging Team. While National Team struggled for success, Gunawardena’s ‘A’ Team has had a stellar record with successful tours to WI, England & B'desh. more..

Apr 28 (CI) Sri Lanka Cricket has called off the Under-19 series against Pakistan following serial blasts that left over 250 people dead in Colombo last week. The Pakistan team was set to leave for Colombo on April 30, with the first game scheduled for May 3 in Galle. As things stand, the tour has been postponed indefinitely. The PCB had been monitoring the situation, and had kept the doors open for the tour. "The tour has been postponed indefinitely," an SLC official confirmed. more..

Apr 28 (ST) Besides the loss of 253 lives and injuries to over 500 people along with emotional trauma among affected family members and others, Easter Sunday terror attack is set to lead SL towards a deep economic abyss. These suicide bomb attacks on three churches and luxury hotels in Colombo and the outstations would deal a severe blow to SL’s economy and financial markets, several senior govt officials predicted. more..

Apr 28 (Island) Selections for next month’s Cricket World Cup have come as a massive surprise for many Sri Lankans. Even the great Aravinda de Silva can hardly believe that the national selection panel has included five players who have not played an ODI in the last 18 months. He could not figure out why the likes of Niroshan Dickwella and Akila Dananjaya have failed to make the cut. "Niroshan Dickwella is one of the brightest prospects to emerge in recent times and with talents like more..

Apr 28 (AD) Security forces have arrested the driver of the main suspect behind Sunday’s series of suicide bombings in the country. Police said that the suspect, Mohamed Sharif Adam Lebbe a.k.a. Gafoor, 53, was arrested by Kattankudy Police and handed over to the CID. The arrested suspected had allegedly operated as the driver of Mohamed Zahran, the suspected leader of National Towheed Jamaat, the militant group responsible for carrying out the Easter Sunday bombings. more..

Apr 28 (Island) SL High Commissioner in London, Manisha Gunasekera had to intervene to put the record straight following a BBC television report, which quoted a Tamil man living in the UK as saying that Sinhala Buddhists were responsible for Easter Sunday’s attacks on churches and hotels. British television and radio stations aired the attacks in Sri Lanka as their lead news story. High Commissioner appeared on BBC more..

Apr 28 (SO) Australian rugby legend David Campese who was set to arrive in Sri Lanka on Monday for a coaching programme has decided to call off his tour following the bombing of churches and hotels in the island. His visit was to coincide with Sri Lanka’s preparations for the Asian Rugby Championship and was also listed for training programs in Kandy and Colombo for both coaches and players. Campese was to be the guest of honour at the Royal College vs St. Joseph’s more..

Apr 28 (TS) Several Cabinet ministers and fellow Malaysians came together to show support and solidarity for Sri Lanka after the terror attacks that killed hundreds of people there. Minister in the PM’s Department Datuk Seri Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa said all Malaysians must stand united against violence. “If there is a rising wave of hatred, we must stand above the wave and spread the wave of peace. “Peace is the strongest weapon against violence,” said Mujahid at the vigil last night. more..

Apr 28 (Guardian) All day people were coming in and out of the house with the pale-pink walls, and neighbours were becoming suspicious. An elder in the village of the eastern city of Kalmunai was summoned to confront the men who had rented the property a few weeks before. The discussion soon became tense, and a tall, well-built man whom the elder did not recognise walked out of house carrying an automatic weapon. more..

Apr 28 (SO) Ceylinco General Insurance in collaboration with Chubb Insurance of USA paid an advance of US $ one million to Shangri-La Hotel Colombo to commence repairs, on Thursday, four days after the devastating bomb on Easter Sunday. Officials of Ceylinco General Insurance visited Shangri-La within a few hours of the incident on Easter Sunday, who got in touch with the hotel management immediately. On April 22, an initial inspection was carried out and more..

Apr 28 (DM) Three suspects allegedly radical Islamist extremists and two weapons of the two Policemen killed at a checkpoint in Vavunathiwu on Nov 29, 2018 were recovered by officers of the CID. Sources confirmed that the three suspects were arrested in Kalmunai and the weapons were recovered in the Vavunathawilluwa area. "They were members of the radical Islamist Organisation" a high ranking source said. Two Policemen were shot by a unknown assailants and their weapons more..

Apr 28 (CT) A European Islamic country delegation, that came to Sri Lanka last week and met several political leaders, has raised concerns as to why the authorities have failed to pay heed to a previous request they made to curtail the spread of private Islamic schools, built with funding from Arab countries. There are now over 300 such establishments in the country. The delegation has pointed out that their country too, more..

Apr 28 (BT) After a series of explosions claimed more than 250 lives in Sri Lanka, India has issued a travel advisory urging its citizens to not travel to the country. A press statement by the Ministry of External Affairs urged Indians not to undertake non-essential travel to the country under the prevailing situation. The ministry also advised that whoever is travelling to the country for work must establish contact with the mission or the consulates in various provinces of the country. more..

Apr 28 (AFP) Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for three men who blew themselves up in clashes with SL police, the militant group said in a statement. The men set off explosives after an hour-long gun battle with police Saturday, inside what was believed to be a jihadist hideout near the eastern town of Kalmunai, in the latest fallout from the Easter attacks. In a statement posted Saturday by the IS propaganda unit the Amaq News Agency, IS said the three men were part of more..

Apr 28 (EN) President Sirisena had decided to ban two Muslim organizations linked to Easter Sunday bombings which killed more than 500 people. National Thawheed Jammath (NTJ) and Jamathei Millathu Ibraheem (JMI) will be banned using newly invoked emergency laws. Members of NTJ and JMI carried out Easter Sunday bombings in Colombo authorities said. NTJ was set up in 2011 in Kaththankudy more..

Apr 28 (EN) Support from United States personnel to Sri Lanka is short term and is limited to supporting investigations into Easter Sunday suicide attacks that killed over 250 people, its embassy in Colombo said. "…U.S. teams are already working closely with their Sri Lankan partners on efforts including explosives detection, crime scene investigation, and forensics analysis," embassy said. "All activities are at the request of and closely coordinated with Sri Lankan authorities. more..

Apr 28 (EN) SL's television stations is carrying Sunday mass conducted by Catholic Archbishop Malcolm Ranjith, after fears that extremists who bombed churches on Easter Sunday, may try to repeat their attacks. The Mass is televised by Sri Lanka's MTV channel and simulcast by other national channels. Church authorities decided not to hold Sunday mass on April 28. Catholic Archbishop Malcolm Ranjith earned praise for calling for calm and urging his flock not to extract more..