May 15 (PTI) India�s top mobile operator Bharti Airtel Limited On Tuesday forayed into Sri Lanka by inking an agreement with the island nation�s main Foreign Investment Promotion Body to invest USD 150 million in rolling out operations, a company official said. Bharti, which will become the fifth mobile phone operator here, is currently scouting for locations to set up base stations and talking to equipment vendors to rollout its network here. more..

May 15 (KT) Cricketing giants Pakistan and Sri Lanka are coming together for some very exciting action at the Shaikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi. This ICC approved, fully accredited three ODI match series will be played from May 18 to May 22. All matches shall be day and night games starting at 4pm UAE time and shall be the first International Cricket engagements for both teams since the World Cup in West Indies. more..

May 15 (Hindu) Sleuths of the `Q' Branch Crime Investigation Department were closely monitoring the activities of the sympathisers of LTTE in Tamil Nadu, Director General of Police D. Mukherjee has said. "The `Q' Branch is on the job. It requires lot of spadework to bring somebody under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967," he told The Hindu on Sunday. However, the DGP did not elaborate which organisations had come under the police scanner. more..

May 15 (TW) Full Text of Speech by Mythri Jegathesan of Collective for Justice in Sri Lanka, at an Event organized by the New York chapter of SLDF: �Addressing Sri Lanka�s Undeclared War: Demanding Human Rights, Justice and Peace�, Brecht Forum, New York, 13 May 2007: Thank you and I am very glad to speak on this panel representative of the Sri Lanka Democracy Forum (SLDF) and Human Rights Watch (HRW) so that we can discuss the current situation and what has and can be done in the diaspora and other spaces. more..

May 15 (TW) Full Text of Speech by Ahilan Kadirgamar, at an Event organized by the New York chapter of SLDF: �Addressing Sri Lanka�s Undeclared War: Demanding Human Rights, Justice and Peace�, Brecht Forum, New York, 13 May 2007: I would like to thank all those who have come to this event. It is good to see so many non-Sri Lankans who have come out in solidarity. And it is a great pleasure to speak at the Brecht Forum and in New York City, my home turf, which nurtured my activism for so many years. more..

May 15 (LNP) Direct US-LTTE links in 2003 would have helped in convincing the LTTE to move away from terrorism and depending on the progress made even delisting it as a foreign terrorist organisation, a former US envoy to Sri Lanka said. Former US Ambassador Jeffrey Lunstead in a report titled ` The United States` Role in Sri Lanka`s Peace Process,` said the US supported LTTE participation in the June 2003 Tokyo Conference but unfortunately it was not invited to attend. more..

May 15 (LNP) The driver of a private bus, plying between Malabe and Pettah, was fined Rs. 15,000 and sentenced to four months jail suspended for five years on his pleading guilty to driving under the influence of liquor. The driver was arrested by the Borella police and produced before the Colombo Traffic Court, following complaints by commuters that he was drunk. His driving licence was also suspended for nine months. more..

May 15 (LNP) Kegalle Police mounted a major search operation after receiving a complaint that a mysterious aircraft had been seen flying over the mountains in the area during the early hours of yesterday. A female resident who had returned from the hospital around 2.45 am had seen a mysterious aircraft with a red light, flying amidst the mountains while generating a sound similar to that of a hand tractor. more..

May 15 (LNP) We are a nation with some peculiar traits. Our habit of busting systems according to our whims and fancies and taking great pains to revive them thereafter is monumental. We did away with the parliamentary system of government in 1978 and introduced the Executive Presidential system. We have suddenly realised that the Head of State must be accountable to Parliament and are striving to revert to the former system of government. more..

May 15 (SAMN) A �death notice� has been issued to students and the staff of the Jaffna University by a group of armed men who had stormed the premises late on Sunday night, sources from the area told said Monday. The armed men had reportedly put up posters and left back pamphlets in Tamil with the title �last warning� issued to some 323 students and staff including the Vice Chancellor and professors of the University. more..

May 15 (SAMN) Over the past 50 years there were number of changes in China and Sri Lanka, however the friendship between China and Sri Lanka remained the same, said People's Republic of China Embassy Counselor Ge Chuanyou. He was speaking on behalf of the Chief Guest Chinese Ambassador at the commemorative meeting to mark the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of between Sri Lanka and the People's Republic of China. This meeting took place at the BMICH on Friday. more..

May 15 (SAMN) Ousted Minister Mangala Samaraweera agreed not to take up a Cabinet portfolio although he agreed to support the government �in the best interest of the country� following lengthy discussion with President Mahinda Rajapakse on Sunday, Western Province Governor Alavi Moulana said Monday. Governor Moulana, who facilitated the meeting, which lasted for nearly two hours and was �cordial and friendly�, more..

May 15 (SAMN) An unprecedented bus fare hike is on the cards, judging by the tone of the Private Bus Operators Association. Its President Gemunu Wijeratne said the recent price hikes on diesel and the Government�s intentions to introduce a further hike of Rs 5.50 per litre would be taken into consideration when affecting a fare hike. "We cannot wait till July 1. Our members are forcing me to increase the fares soon or else they threaten trade union action," more..

May 15 (DN) President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday reiterated the Government's commitment to ensuring the rights of all religions in the country. "When we are trying to use religion and all other good means in our efforts to lead the youth on the correct path, the LTTE is trying to instill a culture of violence by arming these youngsters to bring death and destruction to their own community," the President said. more..

May 15 (DN) "Politicians trying to obstruct the Government's efforts to save the country from the present national crisis will end up in the dustbin of history," JHU Leader Parliamentarian Ven. Ellawala Medhananda Nayaka Thera said. Ven. Medhananda Nayaka Thera in a statement issued yesterday said a limited section of the UNP led by Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe were making a hue and cry here and abroad calling for the removal of Gotabhaya Rajapaksa from the Defence Secretary's post and more..

May 15 (DM) At least two men were gunned down last evening when they together with some others clashed with a group of soldiers in Ratmalana, police said.They said the two men were among an armed group which had allegedly broken into a house belonging to a Dehiwela � Mt. Lavinia Municipal Councillor living down Weerasena Silva Mawatha in the Gona Kovila area. On their return they were confronted by a group of soldiers. more..

May 15 (DM) The fisheries industry in Kalpitiya area that met 40 percent of the county�s requirement of fish declined recently due to the prevailing security situation in the area. The fishermen accused the LTTE of abducting or assassinating them and looting their boats and fishing gear on the high seas. They said they are now between the devil and the deep sea. They pointed out that the government failed to pay compensation or to provide relief to the victims of LTTE atrocities an to provide them adequate protection. more..

May 15 (AN) Everyone calls it the Cemetery, because that's what this field on Sinna Urein in Batticaloa was originally. When the dry earth gets very hot or is disturbed, skulls and bones make it to the surface. "NGOs usually bury people when they are dead," says Jathran, 32, one of the thousands who've fled an escalation of fighting in Sri Lanka's civil war. "The difference is this time, they've brought us here before we've started dying." more..

May 15 (DPA) Bodhgaya, India� In hardly any other place in India do economic poverty and spiritual wealth go hand in hand than in the north-eastern state of Bihar. Bihar is one of the poorest areas in the country as evidenced by its dilapidated system of roads. At first glance, it is hard to distinguish the cultural wealth that can be found in Bihar's many historical towns such as Bodhgaya � the Place of Enlightenment. more..

May 15 (TC) The killing of five Indian fishermen off the Kanyakumari coast by unidentified assailants on March 29 has taken a new turn with the Tamil Nadu Police blaming the LTTE. The charge has raised many eyebrows as a string of killings before the incident were widely seen as the handiwork of the Lankan Navy. The Q Branch, a special wing of the state police dealing with militancy, claims to have cracked the case based on the confessions of six Lankan Tamils who were on a boat that had allegedly drifted into Indian waters on April 11. more..

May 15 (IC) Bishop Thomas Savundaranayagam is appealing for assistance to bring peace to his wartorn nation, saying that meaningful negotiations will only begin when the international community becomes involved. At a meeting with U.S. government officials Wednesday in Jaffna, the bishop said: "Negotiations could only start with the participation of the international community. People of Sri Lanka are against war and have a strong desire for peace." more..

May 15 (BP) While the Hindu scriptures have given vivid and moving description of the construction of the Rama Sethu, it�s existence has now been confirmed by two scientific sources. If Rama Sethu can be preserved and the SSCP implemented, no one will object. This is precisely the stand of K.T. Thomas, retired Judge of the Supreme Court who opined recently that �It is my definite opinion that Rama Sethu must not be broken�. more..

May 15 (PRN) Today, The Asia Foundation launched The United States' Role in Sri Lanka's Peace Process, a study that analyzes the United States' involvement in Sri Lanka's peace process from 2002-2006. The report, released amidst renewed fighting in Sri Lanka's civil conflict, was written by Jeffrey Lunstead, who served as the U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka from August 2003 to July 2006. more..

May 15 (ECB) New Western Australia coach Tom Moody admits his decision to resign as Sri Lanka coach was purely down to �personal reasons�. The 41-year-old rejected the offer of a new contract with Sri Lanka on Monday to return to Australia in a similar position on a three-year-deal. And though he stressed the decision was not an easy one to make, in the end a desire to be closer to family was crucial. more..

May 15 (AP) Army troops killed a Tamil Tiger rebel near the northern defense line in Sri Lanka's volatile Jaffna peninsula Tuesday, the military said. Soldiers attacked a group of insurgents who were observing the movement of troops near Muhamalai, a border post that divides government and rebel-held areas, in Jaffna peninsula, said Lt. Col. Upali Rajapakse, a senior military officer. more..

May 15 (HT) Former US Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Jeffrey Lunstead, has said that Washington has no "significant" strategic or economic interest in Sri Lanka. But if it is engaged in the peace process in the island country since 2001, it is because of two concerns: (1) a commitment since 9/11 to fight terrorism globally, (b) an interest in upholding human rights everywhere. more..

May 16 (TW) The much awaited political proposal of the SLFP in now out. Even before the ink has dried it has attracted fierce criticism from every corner including the party�s past and present allies. Interestingly, and quite strategically, the government has attempted to present the proposal as something formulated only by the party - thereby distancing the administration from any kind of responsibility and/or blame. more..

May 16 (LeN) A top politician has informed the CID to look into any malpractices that has taken place during UNP MP Lakshman Kiriella�s tenure as the Minister of cultivation. Kiriella is a head of the UNP media unit and a member of the Civil monitoring mission and one of the most prominent politicians that criticized the President Rajapakse in the recent times. more..

May 16 (LeN) The united national party is leveling a massive allegation to the government that it is going to hand over the shares of Telecom to a known Malaysian company to satisfy the aspirations of a female friend of the president who helped him during his presidential campaign. The charge was leveled by the UNP Kurunegala district parliamentarian Dayasiri Jayasekara. more..

May 16 (LeN) Many raise suspicions regarding the transparency of the selling of 25.3% of the shares, owned by Nippon telegraph and telephone corporation, of Sri Lanka Telecom to a Malaysian company. The main reasons for suspicions develop is the cabinet paper presented by the finance minister on the 27th of last month seeking the permission of the cabinet to sell the shares to a Malaysian company called Maxies Telecommunications holdings. more..

May 16 (ISL) No lasting solution can be found to the conflict in the Northern and Eastern Provinces without establishing peace and reconciliation among the Tamils and Muslims, as the demographic presence of the Muslims in the Eastern Province is greater than that of the Tamils. Of the three districts, the Muslims are the majority community in the districts of Ampara and Trincomalee. more..

May 16 (ISL) The FMM strongly decries the statements made in Parliament by Government MP Hemakumara Nanayakkara. As part of a statement criticizing the Leader of the Opposition on 10th May 2007, MP Nanayakkara stated that Opposition Leader is at times worried about journalist Parameshwari and at other times worried about the Editor of the Daily Mirror, Champika Liyanaarachchi. more..

May 16 (ISL) It is twenty years this year since India directly intervened to resolve the festering conflict in Sri Lanka. Having understood the psyche of the polarised mindset of the two protagonists in the long running dispute, India took a firm stand to engineer a resolution to the conflict with the signing of the Indo-Sri Lanka agreement which brought about the 13th amendment to the Sri Lanka constitution and more..

May 16 (ISL) News filed in the Sri Lanka press headlined �Don�t change the Executive Presidency � CJ advises the president� confirms to the extent the Executive Presidency rule in Sri Lanka is undermining free and fair governance in Sri Lanka. Degree of democracy depends on clear arrangement of separation of powers between the executive, legislative and the judiciary. more..

May 16 (AT) The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has entered into a $4.6 million agreement with Sierra Construction Ltd. to construct four vocational schools in tsunami-affected Ampara and Batticaloa districts. The schools are part of USAID�s Sri Lanka Tsunami Reconstruction Program (SLTRP). A signing ceremony at the office of Ampara Government Agent Sunil Kannangara was attended by USAID Mission Director Rebecca Cohn, more..

May 16 (AT) The Associated Press (AP) boasts of being the oldest, trusted, fastest and unbiased delivery service of global news. It has 243 bureaus in 97 countries and one of them is in Sri Lanka. It has a worldwide staff of 4,1000 journalists and two of them are Ruwan Weerakoon and Bharatha Mallawarachi, AP's Colombo-based correspondents. more..

May 16 (ML) The UNP yesterday questioned the Government�s continued silence and inaction following revelations of major financial misconduct in the COPE report. "Even if it is some UNP MPs who are responsible for these misdeeds, the government can and should take legal action against these individuals," UNP MP Dayasiri Jayasekera said at a press conference yesterday. more..

May 16 (ML) Former Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera informed President Mahinda Rajapakse on Sunday he will consider accepting Cabinet office only if the status quo as at February 9 is restored. President Rajapakse met with Samaraweera in the company of Western Province Governor Alavi Mowlana on Sunday to resolve their differences following the February 9 sacking of Samaraweera and former Port Development Minister Sripathi Sooriyaarachchi. more..

May 16 (ML) More than 185 children are severely malnourished in the north according to the Deputy Provincial Director of Health Services. These children are from areas in Kopay and Kayts health divisions, and were registered with the community level Nutrition Rehabilitation Programme (NRP). It was also highlighted that a further 9,510 children between the ages of six months to five years, are being given High Energy Biscuits by the Public Health Midwives. more..

May 16 (ML) The bombings of the SLAF Base at Katunayake, the army camp at Jaffna, the CPC storage facility at Kolonnawa and the Muthurajawela gas facility by the LTTE, utilising light aircraft brings in a new and very dangerous dimension to the current hostilities. The acquiring of two or three light aircraft by the LTTE in my opinion does not constitute an air force, but rather an air threat. more..

May 16 (Hindu) The Sri Lankan embassy in Washington has lodged complaints with the Justice Department, State Department and the FBI against the Washington-based Intelsat Ltd. for "reneging its promise" of removing the National Television of Tamil Eelam (NTT) channel and Pulikalin Kural radio from its transponder and for continuing to facilitate and broadcast terrorist propaganda. more..

May 16 (LBO) An international anti-pyramiding activist has called on Sri Lanka to be vigilant against multi-level marketing schemes that can invade the country following the arrest of top Goldquest operatives in Indonesia. "Treasure Traders International and, more recently, Canadian Diamond Traders, are similar scams that are recruiting victims worldwide," Robert Fitzpatrick, head of the US-based Pyramid Scheme Alert told LBO. more..

May 16 (Reuters) Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene and their former coach Tom Moody were named on the International Cricket Council's (ICC) newly constituted cricket committee on Tuesday. "The new structure is designed to be representative of all interests in the modern game," an ICC statement said. The previous structure was made up of nominated representatives from each of the full members (boards and players) and leading associates. more..

May 16 (CS) Colorful lotus lanterns are lit along the road in the evening, illuminating a city center walk ahead of the Buddha's birthday, which falls next Thursday. The festivities peak this weekend with a lotus lantern festival prepared by Buddhist groups. On the Sunday before Buddha's birthday, the streets between the Jogye Temple in Anguk-dong and the Jonggak subway station junction will turn into a festival site. more..

May 16 (TN) Jaffna magistrate postponed Uthayan journalist Rajivarman's murder case for the third time Tuesday as there were no witnesses to testify at Jaffna High Courts. The police filed a petition requesting the Court to allow more time to find witnesses, legal sources in Jaffna said. Rajivarman's case was called for hearing on 4 May, 7 May and for the third time on Tuesday at the Jaffna courts more..

May 16 (AT) Vijay Eswaran of Malaysia, a major shareholder in the London based Deepam and Australia based Tharishanam televisions was arrested in Jakarta, Indonesia, along with and three Filipinos is awaiting extradition to the Philippines to face charges of syndicated estafa (Fraud). He is alleged to be a strong LTTE operative. He is the Managing Director Hong Kong based QI Group and QuestNet founder. more..

May 16 (AT) The Board of Investments of Sri Lanka says it could obtain over 57000 million rupees worth of investments from local and foreign investors within this week. The BOI could achieve this amount after the introduction of the one day service for investment approvals, said the Chairman of the BOI, Dammika Perera. He said the one day service for investors is very popular now and most local and foreign investors make inquiries about this service. more..

May 16 (wsws) In presenting his institution�s 2006 annual report last month, Sri Lankan Central Bank governor Ajit Nivard Cabraal congratulated President Mahinda Rajapakse on the country�s high rate of growth. The annual rate of 7.4 percent, Cabraal said, was close to the 8 percent promised by Rajapakse in his Mahinda Chinthanaya (Mahinda Thinking) manifesto for the 2005 presidential election. more..

May 16 (LT) Though there was a commander for the war against terrorism a commander for the war against fraud and cheating has to be found says Mr. Anura Dissanayake, Member of the Political Bureau of the JVP. Mr. Dissanayake made this observation at a seminar for intellectuals held today under the theme "Why should those found guilty of fraud by COPE be punished?" more..

May 16 (LT) Sources close to the JVP say the British High Commissioner had requested a meeting with JVP leaders and later cancelled it. British High Commissioner had requested a meeting with the JVP leaders after the JVP held a protest campaign opposite the British High Commission. The protest campaign was held recently against the move by British Parliament to have discussions regarding alleged human rights violations in Sri Lanka more..