June 25 (DM) Two news items carried in the Daily Mirror on Monday, on inside pages though, warrant serious thinking and a deeper study of the Sri Lankan economy. The stories, both reported from Matara were about two hapless persons, a mother and a father in two separate incidents attempting to ruin the lives of their own children, not due to their possible inborn cruelty, but owing to extreme desperation and frustration apparently born out of poverty. In the first of these stories, more..

June 25 (DM) Discussions have begun about setting up a Post 2015 Development Agenda. Year 2015 is important, since the Millium Development Goals (MDGs) were to be achieved by 2015. We have almost completed this period now. The results of MDGs efforts are visible. It is clear that the most important of the MDGs, namely that of reducing world hunger by half and poverty by half by 2015 have not been achieved. Instead world hunger has increased compared to the level at which more..

June 25 (SL) With all the actions of the BBS having been taken lightly by the govt in the past, it seems that this time, with the Aluthgama incident which almost led the country back into another ethnic conflict, the govt has to take some severe action against them. It is rather alarming though to note that despite the deployment of the large numbers of police and STF personnel, the rioting continued unabated for several hours causing more..

June 25 (C77) We all have our favorite memories of summer, but we're more inclined to forget the rather less pleasant thought of mosquito bites that might come with those adventures. I fondly recall summer a camp deep in the woods of Wisconsin, from which I would return home with arms full of craft projects and legs that were completely destroyed from compulsively scratching bug bites. more..

June 25 (CI) This is the amazing story of the penultimate ball. A tale of two Tests that lasted their full five days and went to the wire. The story of one, maybe two, millimetres denying the England team and of one ball remaining when the Sri Lanka team created their piece of history. There are sub-plots galore but the climax is why we go back to the well. It matters not a jot how many Tests you have seen, the surprises keep coming. more..

June 25 (ST) Fishermen�s unions protested throughout last week against govt�s decision to scrap their fuel subsidy and introduce a new equipment subsidy scheme in its place. Protests began last Monday with fishermen sailing into the Negombo lagoon displaying black flags on their boats. Last Wednesday, three fishermen in Negombo began a fast-unto-death in front of the town hall grounds. more..

June 25 (GDI) As Fairtrade becomes the latest sales driver in international markets, Sri Lanka has stepped up its efforts to meet the new standard. A promising Lankan export niche has become the successful testing ground for Sri Lanka�s entry into global Fairtrade certification regime-and the EDB, which leads the initiative has received encouraging feedback from many�including a global consultant on Fairtrade. more..

June 25 (CG) Following a prolonged period of drought in several parts of Sri Lanka, the European Commission (EU) is providing �250,000 to help the most vulnerable families meet their food security needs. Lack of adequate rainfall has caused extensive damage to the paddy crop over the last six months, thereby creating a food insecurity crisis for hundreds of thousands of people. �The effect of the drought is likely to linger more..

June 25 (Island) SLMC Leader and Justice Minister Rauff Hakeem has suggested to Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa that an institutionalised mechanism be established to prevent recurrence of religious violence. Minister Hakeem met the Defence Secretary at the Defence Ministry yesterday. Having briefed the party of his meeting with Defence Secretary Rajapaksa, Minister Hakeem more..

June 25 (Island) President Rajapaksa has instructed the Agriculture Department and Agricultural experts to cultivate traditional rice varieties such as Kalu Heenati, Sudu Heenati, Goda Heenati, Masuran, Dik Wee, Mada Tawalu and Patcha Perumal in over 50,000 acres in North-Central Province during next Maha season. President has stressed the need for cultivating traditional rice varieties as they were beneficial to kidney patients. more..

June 25 (AD) Rear Admiral Jayantha Perera has been promoted to the rank of Vice Admiral and appointed Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy with effect from July 1. Rear Admiral Perera joined the Sri Lanka Navy on August 23, 1978. Rear Admiral holds the appointment of Director General Operations. He held the appointments of Commander Western Naval Area and Commander Southern Naval Area and was the more..

June 25 (CG) The police have arrested the venerable Watareka vijitha thero, a Buddhist monk who openly spoke against BBS, over allegations had staged a recent attack on himself. Watareka vijitha thero was arrested after he was discharged from the Colombo National hospital where he was receiving treatment. SSP Ajith Rohana said that legal action is to be filed against the monk over the staged abduction and attack. more..

June 25 (CT) Holy Prophet lay in a deep reverie when a vision appeared to him. He conveyed the words uttered to him by the apparition and this was how of the Holy Book came to be set down in writing. Last week I was in a reverie pondering the consequences of the Aluthgama incidents when four thoughts came to me out of cyberspace. I believe they are worth sharing with others and including in a discussion though last week�s spike in anti-Muslim violence may have subsided for now. more..

June 25 (Island) The All Ceylon Hindu Congress (Federation of Hindu Religious Associations and Hindu Temples in SL), has strongly condemned acts of communalism and religious hatred again being directed against minority religious groups and in particular the recent incidents affecting Muslims in Aluthgama and Beruwela areas. ACHC has said, in a media statement, that no one should perpetuate ethno-religious discriminations. "Of course religions and cultural distinctions should be respected, more..

June 25 (LBO) Sri Lanka's shares closed 0.17% higher with index heavy John Keells Holdings contributing most to the index gain for the second straight session amid net foreign buying, brokers said. All Share Price Index closed 10.68 points higher at 6,321.55, up 0.17%. The S&P SL20 closed 5.43 points higher at 3,501.55, up 0.16%. Turnover was 705.26 million rupees, down from 874.88 million rupees a day earlier with 84 stocks closed positive against 86 negative. more..

June 25 (CT) Mahanayakes of the four Chapters, Malwatte, Asgiriya, Amarapura and Ramanna, have taken a joint-stand and demanded that the President ban the proposed night races in Kandy, scheduled for later this week. Chief among the reasons for the demand, the Buddhist Prelates have pointed out, is that the event would harm the sacred city. That, of course, is a very expansive and broad reason, but nevertheless, a demand originating from the four bigwigs of the Sasana is not something more..

June 25 (Reuters) The Sri Lankan rupee closed at a three-week low on Wednesday due to importer dollar demand, while dealers expect the rupee to face downward pressure if the United States investigates claims regarding import of Iranian crude via third parties. The rupee ended weaker at 130.34/38 per dollar, its lowest since June 3, from Tuesday's close of 130.32/35. "Importer dollar demand has picked up," a currency dealer said asking not to be named. more..

June 25 (CI) Upul Tharanga will lead a 16-man Sri Lanka A squad on a limited-overs tour of England and Ireland in July. They are slated to participate in a one-day tri-series involving England Lions and New Zealand A, before facing Ireland in a three-match bout, the last of which is on August 22. Four 50-over games with county sides will gear them for the tour. Tharanga, who has been in and out of the Sri Lanka limited-overs outfit, was reprised as captain despite losing the three-match more..

June 25 (DM) Police spokesman SSP Ajith Rohana today said an investigation would be carried out against UNP MP Mangala Samaraweera for divulging official secrets. SSP Rohana said according to the Official Secret Act -1955/32, divulging information regarding national security and information about security forces was an offence. �We have sufficient information to conduct an investigation against him. more..

June 25 (Island) Two police constables attached to the Wellawatte police station were arrested on Monday for abducting a man and robbing Rs. 1,350,000 from him last Saturday (21). Police spokesman said that two police constables, K. D. Thanuja of Ahangama and Sanjeewa Nilantha of Rabukkana had allegedly posed off as CID sleuths and dragged the victim into a trishaw at Wellawatte, while he was proceeding to a bank to deposit the money. more..

June 25 (CG) Govt of Sri Lanka has strongly condemned what it termed as a �cowardly� terrorist attack on a civilian passenger aircraft approaching the Bacha Khan International Airport in Peshawar, Pakistan, last evening, killing a female passenger and leaving two crew members injured. An External Affairs Ministry statement said that Sri Lanka is committed to extend it�s fullest cooperation to Pakistan in combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. more..

June 25 (Island) In accordance with an overall plan to discourage poaching by Indian fishermen, the Sri Lankan navy has detained some trawlers, while releasing their crew recently. SLN had repatriated those who had been arrested in three separate occasions, while holding 23 boats back. Asked whether the SLN really believed the strategy could help curb systematic poaching well within Sri Lankan waters, sources said that all poachers more..

June 25 (Island) One of the midwives of Peradeniya Teaching Hospital began a fast unto death yesterday. Midwife Chandima Kumudini said, from her perch on a sunshade, that she would continue her protest until midwives� demand were granted. A widow, she has one child. She said she and her colleagues had met the hospital director on several occasions seeking solutions to their problems, but in vain. She had been compelled to resort to such action as their grievances had gone more..

June 25 (AD) The Lotteries Board is preparing to enter the mobile phone and internet market before the end of this year by introducing Short Message Service (SMS) and Web lottery to the local market. While commenting on this, Lotteries Board chairman Chaminda Athuluwage told AdaderanaBiz.lk that the proposal to introduce these lotteries have been already forwarded to the Finance Ministry and that it would be put forward for Cabinet approval shortly. Chairman of the Lotteries Board said that more..

June 25 (AD) Prof. Sudarshan Seneviratne has been appointed as the new Sri Lankan High Commissioner to India. Sudharshan Seneviratne (born 1949) was Head of the Department of Archaeology for nearly ten years at the University of Peradeniya and holds the only Chair in Archaeology within the University system of Sri Lanka. He was educated at Ananda College, Colombo and received his complete more..

June 25 (DN) Arrangements made to uplift the education sector are hampered and criticised by certain elements since they do not like to see the children moving to higher notches in the educational ladder, especially in the international arena, President Rajapaksa said. These narrow sighted people level baseless allegations against the education sector development measures without considering the significant achievements, and moves already being taken for more..

June 25 (Island) The CEB claimed to have taken measures to put an end to fly ash from the first coal-fired plant in Norochcholai causing respiratory problems to humans apart from affecting plantations in the area. The problem has been resolved with the Holcim cement plant resuming production with fly ash as a raw material. When contacted, CEB Additional General Manager (Generation) M.C. Wickremasekera said the CEB would do its utmost to prevent that from happening again. more..

June 25 (Haveeru) President Rajapaksa and First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa were greeted on arrival at the Ibrahim Nasir International Airport by President Abdulla Yameen Gayoom and First Lady Fathimath Ibrahim. Later, on arrival at the Male Official Jetty, President Rajapaksa and Shiranthi Rajapaksa were greeted by Vice President Mohamed Jameel Ahmed and his spouse Hawlath Faheem. more..

June 25 (GDI) All communities should act with patience and responsibility at a time when the country is marching towards development after ending a 30-year war against terrorism, said Minister Basil Rajapaksa, on Monday. He said this in the presence of a large gathering when he laid the foundation stone for the building of a Mahindodaya Technology Faculty at the Al Mubarak National School, Malwana, Biyagama. If peace and harmony among communities are not achieved more..

June 25 (AM) UNP MP Palitha Thawarapperuma, who was attacked during anti-Muslim clashes in Beruwala last week, is to meet US Ambassador Michele J Sison tomorrow at 3 pm. The meeting is scheduled to take place at the US Embassy in Colombo. It was also learnt that Sison had contacted Thewarapperuma soon after he came under attack. Thewarapperuma, who represents Kalutara district, is strongly critical of the Bodu Bala and its General Secretary Galagodaaththe Gnanasara thera. more..

June 25 (NS) Law enforcement authorities in Sri Lanka will request Canada to extradite a former Captain in the LTTE�s fleet of vessels that smuggled weapons for the organization, SSP Ajith Rohana said. Kanagarajah Ravishankar was sentenced to 30 years rigorous imprisonment yesterday by the Vavuniya Magistrate�s Court after he was convicted in absentia for transporting lethal cargo for the LTTE; more..

June 25 (SM) Sri Lankan govt had imposed a media censorship in the areas of Beruwala and Aluthgama, preventing local media from reporting the correct details of the clashes which occurred in the area, leader of the government affiliated political party Jathika Hela Urumaya - Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thera says. Speaking to BBC Sandeshaya, the Thera stated that due to this 'censorship', incorrect details with regard to this incident had ended up spreading round the world. more..

June 25 (PTI) A Sri Lanka-born conman, claiming to be a Hollywood film producer, has been jailed for over three years after stealing 1.6 million pounds from United Kingdom taxpayers while living a life of luxury in the United States. Damita Nikapota, 47, is believed to have spent the proceeds of his crime on a Hollywood lifestyle which included a Spanish-style villa in Malibu, California, and extensive travel to places such as the Cannes Film Festival and Sri Lanka. Nikapota made a number of more..

June 25 (SLN) The second patrol boat gifted by Australia to the Sri Lanka Navy arrived at the Port of Colombo today. It was ceremonially welcomed in accordance with naval traditions on arrival. Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Jayanath Colombage, Chief of Staff of the Navy, Rear Admiral Jayantha Perera and Commander Western Naval Area, Rear Admiral Sirimevan Ranasinghe were among the high ranking more..

June 25 (PTI) India and Sri Lanka today stressed on streamlining procedures for the relase and repatriation of fishermen apprehended by the maritime forces of the two countries while fishing in each other's waters. At a delegation-level meeting, Indian Coast Guard chief Vice Admiral Anurag Thapliyal and his Sri Lankan counterpart Rear Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne also discussed ways of further strengthening their operational cooperation and other security issues. more..

June 25 (Hindu) Sri Lanka on Wednesday released 46 Indian fishermen who were arrested on June 18, 2014 on charges of poaching. The Sri Lankan Navy took into custody two batches of Indian fishermen on June 18 off Delft Islands and Thalaimannar for engaging in allegedly illegal fishing activity. They were remanded to custody soon after. On Wednesday, however, officials at the Indian High Commission in Colombo said the 46 fishermen had been released. more..

June 25 (CG) UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay announced today that three distinguished experts have agreed to advise and support the team set up to conduct a comprehensive investigation of alleged human rights violations in Sri Lanka, as mandated by the UNHRC in March. Investigation will look into alleged serious violations and abuses of human rights and related crimes by both parties in more..

June 25 (CT) Laksiri Fernando�s recent book titled �Thomas More�s Socialist Utopia and Ceylon (Sri Lanka)� (Createspace, 2014) certainly is one of the most interesting books published due to the fact that it differs greatly from the general line of investigation undertaken by leading contemporary Sri Lankan political scientists. Fernando takes Thomas More�s book, published in 1516 in Latin (English and other language translations were published later) and argues that the island imagined by more..