Sep 10 (DM) Nuwan Udaya Gunatilleke, alias Kudu Nuwan, was remanded, yesterday, till September 18, by the Colombo Fort additional magistrate, for the alleged rape of a female karaoke assistant. The suspect had surrendered to the Kollupitiya police. Earlier he had been in hiding following a complaint of rape by a young woman employed at a karaoke club in Kollupitiya last week. more..

Sep 10 (DM) A monk and two other suspects who had allegedly damaged the statues of deities at the Sri Mariamman Kovil in Grandpass were released on bail by a Colombo court yesterday. The suspects Venerable Hapugasyaye Dhammananda Thera, Sanathchandra Loku Bogahawatte and Chaminda Wijekumara were produced before Additional Magistrate Ajith Anawaratne. Counsel Neville Abeyratne appearing for the first suspect said the kovil and the temple were situated adjacent to each other and was separated by a common wall and more..

Sep 10 (LD) Following Terrorism Investigation Department interrogations, attempts are being made to pose a threat to my life by portraying me as a person with LTTE links through certain state media, leader of the Western Peoples Front (WPF), MP Mano Ganeshan said. At a press briefing yesterday (09), the Civil Monitoring Commission convener appealed not to make him the last Tamil MP who speaks of the problems of the Tamil community in Sinhalese. more..

Sep 10 (LD) The battle for the implementation of the 17th Amendment would be resumed from the point it was left off for the recently held Provincial Council polls, Opposition leader, Ranil Wickremesinghe said. The Opposition leader was addressing the swearing in ceremony of the opposition leaders of the North Central and Sabaragamuwa Provincial Councils at UNP Headquarters Sirikotha today. more..

Sep 10 (LD) Buses plying from Matara to Hakmana, Walasmulla, Middeniya and Suriyawewa have launched a strike this morning (September 10th). A new timetable demands buses of these routes to depart after an interval of 15 minutes. Noting that they are incurring huge losses as due to the scarcity of passengers in the routes, the protestors demand officials to revise the time table. more..

Sep 10 (LD) An unidentified group has damaged equipment of the Polpithigama wildlife office in an arson attack last evening, the Polpithigama police say. Earlier yesterday, a group of residents in the area has launched a protest demonstration against continuous attacks of wild elephants in front of the Polpithigama Divisional Secretariat. The protestors have even brought along a corpse of a person killed in a recent wild elephant attack. more..

Sep 10 (AT) Fighting between government troops and the LTTE intensified in northern Sri Lanka this week, displacing thousands more civilians and prompting the government to order all non-governmental organizations to vacate the besieged rebel stronghold of Vanni. According to reports on Wednesday, government fighter jets pounded the LTTE command center inside the rebel-held Kilinochchi region and carried out at least four other bombing raids in retaliation for more..

Sep 10 (AI) The Sri Lankan government's decision to tell United Nations (UN) and non-governmental aid workers to leave the war-torn northern Wanni region will put the lives of tens of thousands of people trapped between the two sides of the conflict at risk, Amnesty International warned today. Sri Lankan staff of international aid agencies left behind in the Wanni fear that the withdrawal of international staff will make them more vulnerable to abuses by the LTTE, more..

Sep 10 (AP) Air force jets attacked a rebel intelligence base deep in northern Sri Lanka early Wednesday, stepping up a punishing wave of airstrikes a day after Tamil Tiger fighters launched a surprise attack on a military base, the military said. The Tamil Tigers said the bombs hit a civilian settlement in the rebel's administrative capital of Kilinochchi, destroying 12 houses. Separate battles between the two sides killed 19 rebels and two soldiers, more..

Sep 10 (AFP) UN chief Ban Ki-moon expressed international concern for tens of thousands civilians trapped in Sri Lanka's north Wednesday as government forces prepared for a major showdown with Tamil separatists. Aerial strikes shook Tiger positions a day after the guerrillas staged an air and ground assault that left 25 people dead at a military complex just outside the rebels' mini state, officials said. more..

Sep 11 (BBC) Aid agencies in Sri Lanka are assessing their future strategy after the government said it could no longer guarantee the safety of aid workers in rebel-held territory in the north. There are 11 international agencies operating in Wanni district and aid workers have expressed concern about the future for civilians displaced by the fighting. "We are very worried about civilians in the area. Over the last few months, people have been pushed further north and we have had difficulties reaching them as it is," more..

Sep 11 (LBO) Sri Lanka is likely to call open tenders to revive a dis-used cement plant in the Northern Jaffna peninsular instead of giving the concession through an unsolicited process, highly placed government sources said. Sri Lanka's construction minister Rajitha Senerathne has been promoting India's Adithya Birla group to take-over a plant. Jaffna has two state-controlled plants. One of them, which is less damaged, belongs to Lanka Cement, a listed firm, which is still state-controlled. more..

Sep 11 (LBO) Sri Lankan Airlines says it is cutting fuel use by making clean landing approaches at its home base in Colombo and through a series of efficiency measures devised in house and with international advice. Though fuel prices are now falling, SriLankan says even at current prices about 50 percent of its costs come from fuel. An expert team from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) had studied the airline and made recommendations, more..

Sep 11 (LG) In the court of public opinion, in the case of the Chief Justice (CJ) vs the monks, the CJ has clearly come out on top, going by the various comments posted on web sites and comments by the general public. This has proved to be an important case in testing support for the more radical elements in the Buddhist clergy who have suggested among others to carry out Sabda pooja (more noise pollution), a special court for Buddhist monks and even request for a Parliamentary select committee to investigate the Chief Justice. more..

Sep 11 (LG) When it comes to suicide attacks, LTTE's Black tigers rarely disappoint the organization. Today was one of those rare days on which LTTE's primary weapon disappointed its leadership. 10 Black Tigers (5 male and 5 female) were mercilessly gunned down by elite troops deployed at Wanni Security Forces HQ while they attempted to beach the installation's defenses under the cover of the night. more..

Sep 11 (LG) Mr. Selvam Adaikalanathan, Tamil National Alliance MP had said in Chennai, in an interview to Kumudam, a Tamil weekly published from Chennai Tamil Nadu, that . "Bifurcation of the country is the only way left for the Tamils in Sri Lanka" ( September 08,Sri Lanka Guardian) In plant diseases, it is a known fact that cutting off a branch may affect the tree itself , and separated from the tree the branch will not exist- it will dry and end up as fire wood. more..

Sep 11 (LG) It is obvious that there are not many Tamils, Burghers and Muslims in Sri Lanka to compete for membership in the cricket teams Tamil Union, BRC and Moors respectively with the Sinhalas. In the past it was possible to field a Tamil Union cricket team consisting entirely of Tamils but today it is not the case. Many Sinhalas play for the Tamil Union and for other cricket teams named after various ethnic communities. more..

Sep 11 (LG) The provincial elections are over. Billions of rupees have gone up in flames causing an irreparable loss. Once again the reputation of the �Paradise Isle� has been tarnished throughout the whole world at a time when there is a need to get the goodwill of all nations. The criminal attack on Dr. Johnpulle�s residence has shocked the people here as well as abroad. A respected senior UNP strongman and one time ambassador to the USSR he is known far and wide for his efficacious treatment of patients. more..

Sep 11 (BBC) Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene wants to see just one big Twenty20 tournament a year to safeguard Test and one-day international cricket. "I've said this from the beginning - international Twenty20 is not the way forward," he told The Wisden Cricketer. "The way forward would be to have one big tournament (which) will accommodate everyone's interests. more..

Sep 11 (LG) The decision by the government to ask the INGOs and UN to leave the Wanni, ostensibly on the grounds that it cannot ensure their security and wants to prevent a Muttur type atrocity, heightens expectations that the final battle for the Wanni is nigh and that the war will soon be over. The UN it is reported, will be allowed in with supplies. The LTTE according to some reports has joined battle in earnest and the betting of pundits is that whilst casualties will be high, the end result is a foregone conclusion. more..

Sep 11 (LG) The excuse trotted by the GoSL is that they can no longer ensure the safety of aid workers in Vanni, This is a subtle threat and a reminder that if the NGOs refuse to relocate they too will meet the same fate as the 17 aid workers attached to the French charity Action Contre le Faim. These aid workers were murdered by the Sri Lankan armed forces on August 04, 2006. The intention of the GoSL is very clear. more..

Sep 11 (LG) The Supreme Court order remanding a Bhikku, has sparked off a controversy. The Bikku was remanded on an order by the Supreme Court following his failure to appear in Court over a case relating to noise pollution. When Judges of the Supreme Court � Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva, Justice Andrew Somawansa and Justice Jagath Balapatabandi � entered the Court to hear the bail application of the said Bhikku, the members of the Buddhist clergy that more..

Sep 11 (LG) It is well known that communicable diseases spread when the climate is bad. It can be noted that these diseases spread following heavy rains. Thousands of people who displaced sequel to the military operations live in a poor plight without basic facilities such as clean drinking water. Providing these amenities is a challenge. UN has warned that there is threat of diseases spreading in the areas such as Killinochchi, Mannar and Mullaithevu districts. more..

Sep 11 (RO) Lazy summer days at the beach getting a tan are pass as Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Board (SLTPB) is marketing the country as an adventure destination with adventure seekers being identified as a potential growth market. "Adventurous holidays are a rapidly growing trend in global tourism and an increasing number of travellers are seeking out new adventures like Sri Lanka having done the usual African Safaris," more..

Sep 11 (PISL) With the liberalisation of the East, the administration of the province was entrusted to representatives of the people elected at the local government and provincial council elections. The people had lost touch with participatory democracy since the area had been under the grip of the LTTE for nearly 20 years and the administrative functions were discharged by the Governor and the office of the Government Agent. more..

Sep 11 (IT) Bandoliered Tamil Tigers in checked shirts, slacks, sneakers or sandals, wielding T-56 rifles engaged in a ferocious defence of their shrinking territory. These visuals from the war in Sri Lanka�the only access to a war that is out-of-bounds for journalists�could have been taken at any point in the island republic's endless internecine strife including their three-year battle against the Indian Peacekeeping Force (IPKF) in the late 1980s. more..

Sep 11 (ZN) Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene, nominated for two ICC awards, prefers a team prize to individual honours. Jayawardene is one of three players nominated for both Cricketer of the Year and Test Player of the Year. The others are West Indies batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul and South Africa paceman Dale Steyn. As well as individual categories, the awards will recognize the test and limited-overs teams of the year and more..

Sep 11 (TC) The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), which is increasingly under pressure due to a war of attrition waged against it by the Sri Lankan Armed Forces in the areas controlled by it in the Northern Province, launched a surprise land-cum-air attack on a vital military complex of the armed forces at Vavuniya, about 260 kms North of Colombo, in the early hours of September 9,2008. more..

Sep 11 (AT) To create another appalling humanitarian crisis in the Vanni region, the LTTE, made use of the entry � exit point at Omanthai, to attack the Security Forces Headquarters and the Air Force Base located in Vavuniya early on Tuesday morning. Basil Rajapakse said that Omanthai entry � exit point was kept open for the goods and essential food items to move into the Vanni region and the people in Vanni to enter into the Government area to go to hospitals, banks, more..

Sep 11 (AT) The Chinese Foreign Minister stressed the importance of continuing the strong and good relations between China and Sri Lanka. He was appreciative of Sri Lanka's unshaken support for 'One China Policy' and thanked the President for continued support on the issues of Taiwan and Tibet that are matters of China's core national interests. Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi who is on a two-day official visit to Sri Lanka called on the President Mahinda Rajapakse more..

Sep 11 (CI) The Sri Lanka cricket team were the recipients of the Spirit of Cricket Award at the ICC Awards celebration in Dubai on Wednesday night. It is the second year in a row that Mahela Jayawardene's team have won the award, which is presented to the team which, in the opinion of the elite panel of ICC umpires and match referees, has best conducted itself on the field within the spirit of the game. more..

Sep 11 (CI) Sri Lanka's 23-year-old spin sensation, Ajantha Mendis, has won the Emerging Player of the Year award at the ICC Awards ceremony in Dubai. With his mesmerising brand of spin bowling, Mendis has exploded on to the international scene in recent months. In just three Tests against India in July and August, he claimed an amazing 26 wickets at an average of 18.38, more..

Sep 11 (CI) India were not prepared enough to face Ajantha Mendis in the recently concluded Test series and didn't have a plan, former national captain Ajit Wadekar has said. Mendis, an unorthodox legspinner who made his debut in the first Test in Colombo, dominated the Indian batting line-up during the series - which Sri Lanka won 2-1 - to finish with a record 26 wickets. "To be frank, India were caught napping. They did not plan to tackle Mendis properly," Wadekar said. more..

Sep 11 (APP) President Mahinda Rajapaksa telephoned President Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday and congratulated him on assuming office of the President. Both the leaders exchanged views on promoting bilateral relations, which are based on mutual trust and commonality of interest in maintaining regional peace and development. The two leaders agreed to hold a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of more..

Sep 11 (IANS) There was a minor explosion on a coastal railway line just outside Sri Lankan capital Colombo Wednesday evening, military officials confirmed, adding that there was no damage to the railway track or human lives. Military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said that a suspected improvised explosive device (IED) exploded around 7.45 p.m. on the railway track close to De Seram road, Mt.Lavinia, 10 km south of Colombo. more..

Sep 11 (Hindu) The Sri Lankan government will �find only a political solution to a political issue,� and its military engagement was �purely as a means towards eliminating terrorism,� Foreign Affairs Minister Rohitha Bogollagama has said. The �subjugation of people by the LTTE as a terrorist organisation cannot be tolerated,� Mr. Bogollagama said in a 90-minute interview to The Hindu at his office in Colombo on September 6. more..

Sep 11 (Hindu) Visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi told Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Wednesday that China was confident that under his leadership the nation would "play an important role in promoting and ensuring peace and stability" in Sri Lanka and South Asia. The Minister is on a two-day visit here. He called on Mr. Rajapaksa after holding formal talks with his Sri Lankan counterpart Rohitha Bogollagama on bilateral relations and matters of mutual interest. more..

Sep 11 (GV) Fascists launch a final surge before they lose wars. The Kamikaze pilots were a last card against the US fleet. The Nazis developed the Tiger tank, launched the V-1 and V-2 rockets and fought the Battle of the Bulge in the closing stages of the war, when they had already lost in the strategic sense. The battle of Iwo Jima is the classic model of a fanatical, suicidal, dug-in fighting force defending its home turf against a final onslaught. more..

Sep 11 (UCAN) Catholics on the Jaffna peninsula and in other parts of embattled northern Sri Lanka are collecting money to provide food, shelter and medicine for people displaced by the war. As many as 200,000 people have been displaced over the past eight months by fighting between Tamil rebels and forces of the Sinhalese-led national government in the north, and many of them live tenuously in makeshift camps or in the jungle. more..

Sep 11 (IFEX) Popular Tamil journalist J.S. Tissainayagam ("Tissa") is the first Sri journalist to be charged as a terrorist for doing his job. After being held five months without explanation, he was suddenly charged last month with promoting terrorism through a magazine he published for a brief period two years ago. Six months into his detention, join the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and press groups in Sri Lanka in demanding his release. more..

Sep 11 (wsws) About 40 students, lecturers and university workers took part in a discussion at Peradeniya University in Sri Lanka on August 27 on the book, Leon Trotsky & the Post-Soviet School of Historical Falsification. The meeting was organised by the university�s Philosophical Association in conjunction with the International Students for Social Equality (ISSE). more..

Sep 11 (LG) The senior directing staff and the students of the National Defence College India visited Ministry of Defence today. Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa briefed the delegation about the present security situation of the country and situation of the conflict. Also, he reiterated about the importance of Sri Lanka in the South Asian region and in the regional thinking. more..

Sep 11 (LG) There was a news item that a monk had been remanded for the violation of the ban of the use of loudspeakers, by Chief Justice of Sri Lanka, and that bail had been refused to him for the violation of court ethics by a number of monks present in the court who did not get up from their seats when the Judge came into the Court House. This raises the question of Buddhist Monks and the application of Justice to Monks who have been charged for violation of the law of the land. more..

Sep 11 (LG) It has been ninety (90) years since Tamil racial demands were first made and started the continuous cycle of racial demands. It all started in 1918 with the racial representation demand made by the Jaffna Association. Racial representation was about electing/selecting decision makers/legislators based on race. Accordingly �Tamil speaking� decision makers/legislators should have 50% of the total number of decision makers/legislators. more..

Sep 11 (LG) Truth is the first victim of any war and Sri Lanka is not exception to this. Twenty five years of war between the government forces and the LTTE has made Sri Lanka a specialplace in producing unending and questionable claims on casualties. With the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL), there has always been a situation of over stating the casualties of the opponent, thus down playing its own casualties. more..

Sep 11 (GDI) The "Sri Lanka Center" in Shanghai, set up with the objective of showcasing Sri Lankan products under one roof to the eastern China market will be declared open by Minister of Enterprise Development and Investment Promotion Dr. Sarath Amunugama today (11). In addition, the center will provide necessary information pertaining to Sri Lanka to potential investors in Eastern China including more..

Sep 11 (LT) Ravi Karunanayake has been sidelined in the proposals put forward by senior team of the UNP as a solution for the crisis in the party says internal sources of the UNP. Mr. Ravi Karunanayake, the organizer for Kotte electorate, has done yeoman service to the party. The reason for Mr. Karunanayake to be ignored in party reconstruction process is said to be not towing the line of the UNP leadership and not defending it when the rebellion members criticized it. more..

Sep 11 (LNP) Fascists launch a final surge before they lose wars. The Kamikaze pilots were a last card against the US fleet. The Nazis developed the Tiger tank, launched the V-1 and V-2 rockets and fought the Battle of the Bulge in the closing stages of the war, when they had already lost in the strategic sense. The battle of Iwo Jima is the classic model of a fanatical, suicidal, dug in fighting force defending its home turf against a final onslaught. more..

Sep 11 (LNP) Tuesday`s abortive LTTE strike in Vavuniya came as no surprise. It was not the first. Nor will it be the last. There will be many more of them in time to come and if the armed forces allow themselves to be lulled into complacency, there will be disaster. The LTTE`s sagging morale suffered another blow on Tuesday. It lost not only a group of its best combatants but also one of its light aircraft. more..

Sep 11 (PISL) The moral authority that we would all like NGOs concerned with Human Rights to exercise has sadly been eroded in recent years. This has coincided with the apotheosis of such organizations into recognized players on the world stage. Unfortunately a mechanism designed to enhance their stature has led in many cases to their being prey for skilful lobbyists, anxious to bend their pronouncements to purposes that have little to do with Rights. more..