Mar 2 (Island) As Duleep and Roy were reaching the twilight of their careers, critics feared for the health of Sri Lankan cricket the day the duo quit. But the likes of Aravinda and Arjuna shouldered the burden admirably and there was no fuss. The sentiments, however, were echoed again as Arjuna and Aravinda were reaching mid-30s. But the likes of Sanath and Marvan took on the reins and took the team to a new level. The sentiments were repeated a few years ago, but Sanga, Mahela and more..

Mar 2 (ST) Sri Lanka has been carrying out test runs for Bajaj’s all new vehicle called ‘quadricycle” designed to be a four wheeled mini taxi that is set to replace the humble 3-wheeler by ensuring more comfort and safety, industry sources said. Bajaj is reported to have sent its first prototypes to countries where the three-wheeler is popular like Sri Lanka, Columbia and Kenya. Officials of Bajaj’s local dealer confirmed that they had received the prototypes for test runs in Sri Lanka more..

Mar 2 (ST) It is inevitable. A majority of Sri Lankans believe a US-backed resolution against Sri Lanka at this month’s UNHRC sessions in Geneva on alleged human rights violations will be approved but reckon it won’t create any chaos or serious impact on the country. These are the results of three polls conducted separately this week by the Business Times under its ongoing, popular series of ascertaining the people’s views on issues more..

Mar 2 (CI) The last three days saw barely a soul in attendance at the Premadasa Stadium, but as England Lions secured the draw they needed to take the series, England's Test aspirants may have felt one set of eyes scanning them more keenly than any other. Graham Gooch had arrived in Sri Lanka ahead of this match, foregoing most people's favourite cricket tour - a trip to the West Indies, with the national side. Gooch is in Colombo to measure England's emerging talent, as the more..

Mar 2 (Island) Within the month of February 2014, two groups of US Senators presented two different resolutions on Sri Lanka, one against and the other supporting SL. The US Senate is a small body consisting of just 100 members and for a division like this to emerge within such a body over a small Asian country is a very significant development indeed – something that all members of the UNHRC will have to take note of when casting their vote on the resolution to be presented against more..

Mar 2 (SL) All eyes will be on Geneva this week as the UNHRC meets for its 25th regular session. The Sri Lankan issue will be in the spotlight as the US puts forward a resolution calling for an independent investigation into Sri Lanka. The call for an independent probe was last week echoed by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay in a report on Sri Lanka which was placed in the public domain. The Govt has maintained more..

Mar 2 (NS) Opposition is weeping buckets that govt is undermining Parliamentary supremacy. It was the other day that JVP’s newly appointed leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake told foreign journalists in Colombo that the two-third majority the government enjoys in Parliament was illegitimate. It was illegitimate, he said, as the people had never given the ruling UPFA a two-thirds majority. The illegal advantage the govt had obtained in the legislature was being used to heap more burdens on more..

Mar 2 (NS) The record of the Rajapaksa Govt in the four years that have passed since the end of the civil conflict has not been great. It has dawdled on reconciliation and has sometimes done things that hurt the sensitivities of the minorities. Its members, including the male Minister in charge of women’s affairs, have expressed some peculiar ideas on the status of women. It is hopelessly inefficient, riddled with corruption and its socio-economic and infrastructural priorities are skew-whiff. more..

Mar 2 (CT) The decision arrived at by the Amarapura Sri Saddhammawansa Chapter, to proscribe Buddhist monks under its purview from all political activities as well as prohibiting them from engaging in protests and demonstrations, has created equal controversy amongst the bhikkhu and lay societies alike. JHU was one of the forerunners in denouncing the move, with party member, Ven. Thebuwana Piyananda Thera, more..

Mar 2 (ST) My Dear Navi Pillay, I am writing to you because you had announced this week that you would like to conduct an international inquiry into what happened during the final stages of the war against terrorism we won five years ago. I am slightly confused about all this, Navi, so I thought it is best that I ask you to clarify these matters. Now, don’t get me wrong, Navi, I am sure you are a very fair minded, unbiased person. So, when you ask our country to have all these inquiries more..

Mar 2 (ST) Slowly but surely, the dreaded UNHRC sessions have stealthily crept up. A resolution against Sri Lanka — sponsored by the US and promoted by Britain and India — is on the cards this month. With the solitary backing of China from among the big and powerful nations, it would be a Herculean task to defeat the resolution in the 47-member Council. The reaction from Colombo continues to be one of bewilderment followed by incoherent chest-beating pronouncements. more..

Mar 2 (SL) The female population in Sri Lanka is 52%. However, their representation is only 5.8% in Parliament, 4.1% in Provincial Councils and a mere 1.9% in local govt bodies. UNP MP Rosy Senanayake highlighted the pressing need to increase the quantity and quality of women involved in all three levels of politics – local, provincial and national level. While many have shown their concern over some women more..

Mar 2 (Island) We reported that China Harbor Engineering Corporation (CHEC), the company that offered and won through an unsolicited proposal a gigantic project valued at USD 1.4 billion, has floated a company here to undertake this mega Port City project. This company, CHEC Port City Colombo (Private) Ltd., hired a well known public relations firm to publicize a detailed statement it made regarding the project in the context of their being at the receiving end of a great deal of more..

Mar 2 (NS) Barack Obama is livid. He is angry about unconfirmed reports (‘unconfirmed’ is the word used by the US-friendly British press) of Russian military movements inside Ukraine. Now, for the record, the area in the Ukraine that Obama is suddenly worried about, Crimea, happens to be the only Russian-majority region in that country and is the home of Russian’s Black Sea fleet. So ‘movement,’ confirmed or not, could not have been something that happened yesterday. more..

Mar 2 (SO) Minister and President's Special Envoy for Human Rights has led the Sri Lankan delegation to Geneva many a time in the past, in his capacity as Human Rights Minister. Geneva team comprising Sri Lanka's Ambassador in Geneva, Ravinath Ariyasingha and other like-minded officials strategically outwitted international forces a number of times under his leadership to safeguard Sri Lanka's interests. more..

Mar 2 (SL) An indisputable reason for the rejection of the UN Human Rights Commissioner Navi Pillai’s call for an ‘International Mechanism’ to investigate alleged violations of international human rights and human rights laws during 30 years of terrorism in her report to the UNHRC, is Navi Pillai herself. A Commissioner of Human Rights of the UN is supposed to be a towering intellectual with an open mind who would view the travails of humanity round the globe and act in accordance with more..

Mar 2 (SO) UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navaneetham Pillay has again shown her true colours by playing into the hands of the West. She has called for an international inquiry into alleged war crimes committed by both sides during the battle against terrorism, saying that the govt had failed to do its own credible investigation. This does not come as a surprise, going by Pillay's questionable conduct and the manner in which she had conducted herself all along. more..

Mar 1 (Hindu) Rameswaram Mechanised boat fishermen, who had been staying away from the sea since Feb 13 as decided at the bilateral talks held between representatives of State fishermen with their Sri Lankan counterparts on Jan 27 in Chennai, resumed fishing on Saturday, two weeks ahead of the stipulated period, ‘violating’ the pact. After staying away from the sea for a fortnight, the mechanised boat fishermen have more..

Mar 1 (CI) The indomitable spirit that has characterised Afghanistan's sharp rise in world cricket hadn't glowed brighter than it did in Fatullah. Playing in the Asia Cup for the first time, Afghanistan not only defeated Bangladesh, the Test-playing hosts, they almost managed to sneak out a bonus point too. Bangladesh, who took 28 matches to register their first-win against a major country, were left embarrassed by a younger nation playing only its fourth match against a major team. more..

Mar 1 (Island) District Judge of Colombo fixed the trial in respect of the Defamation plaint filed by Chief Minister for Northwestern Province Dayasiri Jayasekera, claiming Rs. 500 million damages from Daya Gamage, the National Organiser of the UNP. Plaintiff has alleged that Gamage defamed him by commenting on his cross over to the govt. Dayasiri has filed three other similar plaints of defamation against UNP MPs, Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, Hareen Fernando and Ranjan Ramanayake. more..

Mar 1 (PTI) SLMC leader Rauff Hakeem today admitted he received a verbal lashing from President Mahinda Rajapaksa at a cabinet meeting but dismissed it as no more than an "expression of ideas". Hakeem, the Minister of Justice, noted there was speculation in the media that an irate Rajapakasa had spoken ill of him and his party at the cabinet meeting yesterday. But he told a gathering near here: more..

Mar 1 (Island) Minister Maithripala Sirisena lamented that even though as much as Rs. 157 billion had been allocated to his ministry for 2014 it found it difficult to retain doctors, paramedics and nurses. Each year when annual transfer lists were about to be filled, the ministry found that many medical and nursing personnel had already left the country for greener pastures, the minister said. From the allocated funds Rs.18 billion had been set aside for the construction of modern hospital more..

Mar 1 (DM) Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who postponed his planned visit to Sri Lanka last week, has re-scheduled his visit and will be here on March 5. “The Afghanistani President will arrive on March 5 and leave on March 7,” a spokesman for the External Affairs Ministry said. Earlier President Karzai scheduled his visit to Sri Lanka from February 23 to 25, but it was postponed due to an unforeseen security situation that had arisen in the Kunar province in Afghanistan, more..

Mar 1 (CG) UN is unaware of reports that some media institutions or websites reporting on Sri Lanka have been censored or have access restricted in Sri Lanka. When asked to comment about reports that the Colombo Telegraph website has been banned in Sri Lanka, a UN spokesman told reporters that the UN has not been informed of such an incident. UN spokesman Martin Nesirky said that the UN country team in more..

Mar 1 (Hindu) The four Sri Lankan Tamils who were arrested on Wednesday after they abused and threatened State government officials at the Tiruchi special camp were shifted to the Central Prison at Puzhal in Chennai from here on Thursday. The four accused – Uthayas, Bageerathan, Gangadharan and Nehru alias ‘Eezha’ Nehru – were taken from the Central Prison to Puzhal amid police escort, police sources said. K.K. Nagar police arrested the four who were housed in the special camp more..

Mar 1 (CT) The Mirihana Special Crime Investigation Unit yesterday arrested six suspects, including two disabled soldiers, in connection with the 12 February robbery of gold jewellery, valued at Rs 10 million, from a pawning centre in Padduka. According to a high ranking police officer, in charge of the investigation, the revolver used to carry out the heist as well as 1,870 gms of stolen gold jewellery has been recovered from the possession of one suspect. Suspects, who had arrived on two more..

Mar 1 (PTI) A needs assessment survey in Sri Lanka for families of individuals who disappeared during the nearly three-decade long civil war in the country will be carried out by the International Committee of the Red Cross. Survey would begin in April and is scheduled to get completed by the end of the year, said Sarasi Wijeratne. ICRC has received 16,000 complaints of disappearances since 1990. more..

Mar 1 (PTI) Popular Tamil TV channel 'Star Vijay' today denied reports that it was associated with a cultural show in Sri Lanka, saying they were "contrary to facts." "There is no connection to the cultural event being held in Sri Lanka on March 1 and 2 and Vijay TV. Further, Vijay TV has not held any shows in Sri Lanka," it said in a statement. The entertainment channel's statement came in response to opposition from a Tamil filmmaker Gauthaman, who had alleged that the event more..

Mar 1 (Island) The Professions Supplementary to Medicine (PSM) yesterday warned that tutors serving in training schools for PSM would recommence trade union action if the Health Ministry failed to grant their demands including the recruitment of more teaching staff to PSM diploma training schools. General Secretary of the Joint Council of Professions Supplementary to Medicine (JCPSM), Saman Jayasekara, said that there were seven PSM training schools in the country more..

Mar 1 (CT) The first segment of the Outer Circular Expressway from Kottawa to Kaduwela will be declared open on 8th March. Upon opening this Expressway it will become possible to travel on the expressway from Kaduwela to Galle bypassing the congested city traffic in Colombo. The 11-kilometer long Kottawa-Kaduwela segment of the OCH is located in the Colombo Metropolitan Region and passes through Colombo and more..

Mar 1 (PTI) In what is considered to be the first such action by Tamil Nadu Police, a case has been registered against Sri lankan fishermen for allegedly robbing fishing nets worth Rs.2.80 lakh from an Indian boat last month. Pamban police today registered cases under IPC sections including 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint) and 352 (punishment for assault or criminal force otherwise than on grave provocation). A fisherman, John Britto, complained that Lankan fishermen more..

Mar 1 (Island) Kandy Magistrate sent a 73-year-old German national to Immigration and Emigration detention Centre at Mirihana for two weeks after he had been produced before Courts on Wednesday for staying in Sri Lanka for 15 years without a visa. Police said that the suspect, Augustine Owen, was an engineer by profession and the Alawathugoda police had arrested him at a house in the area. According to the police the engineer’s visa had expired on January 13, 1999. more..

Mar 1 (DM) Army today rejected allegations in connection with the discovery of skeletons from a land in Puthukuirippu in Mullaitivu. “Some interested parties are attempting to portrait this as evidence of an incident for which the govt and security forces should be held responsible. There is no factual basis for such conclusions and we reject these false and misleading allegations,” Military Spokesman more..

Mar 1 (FT) National Volunteer Secretariat (NVS) was launched this week by Minister Felix Perera and UNDP Country Director Razina Bilgrami at an event held at the Taj Samudra Hotel, Colombo. The NVS is a joint venture between the Ministry of Social Services and the United Nations Volunteers program (UNV). The NVS is launched as part of the overarching Volunteer Information Coordination Centre (VOICE) project initiated as a result of the International Year of Volunteers in 2001. more..

Mar 1 (CG) The Air Force is to increase monitoring activities of the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) which is often breached by Indian fishermen. Newly appointed Air Force Commander, Air Marshal Kolitha Gunatillake said that the Air Force will provide information to the relevant authorities on Indian fishermen poaching in Sri Lankan waters. “We need to increase our monitoring activities. We will use our planes and equipment to monitor and provide information to the relevant more..

Mar 1 (Island) One of the suspects, Tharindu Shayamajith, detained for eight days by the Negombo police in connection with a Rs. 10.14 million robbery on February 17 at a jewellery cum money exchange shop and later released on two sureties standing bail on February 25 after he gave a confession to the Negombo magistrate, has in his statement to the police revealed that the bag containing the loot was given to more..