Apr 15 (CG) A Tamil freelance journalist was attacked in Jaffna last night while he was on his way home, Jaffna based Uthayan newspaper reported. Journalist, identified as Sivagnanam Selvatheepan, was attacked by unidentified men on a motorbike in Vadamarachi, Jaffna. According to reports, the 29 year old was attacked with iron rods by the men on the motorbike who had followed him from behind. Journalist was admitted to hospital for treatment and a police complaint had been lodged.

Apr 15 (NF) The Deputy Chairman of the Wattala Urban Council who was arrested on charges of assault has been remanded until April 16 by the Acting Magistrate of Wattala, Channa Gunawardena. The Deputy Chairman was arrested on charges of having conspired to assault an individual from the Bangalawatte area in Mabola, Wattala. The Wattala Police made the arrest on Sunday evening. The victim was attacked by a group of persons on April 6 who had more..

Apr 15 (DM) There is an English coach who has led Sri Lanka to two trophies in four months in charge but he will not feature in this week’s interviews to find the man to succeed Andy Flower at the helm of the England team. Paul Farbrace could hardly have made a better start to his international career, with his 17th win in 18 matches as coach of Sri Lanka seeing them add the World Twenty20 title to the Asia Cup they won more..

Apr 15 (ST) Eleven employees of Brandix, or associates as they are known as by the apparel exporter, have been recognised for voluntary community service as part of the Group’s commitment to World Water Day 2014, observed annually on March 22. Titled, ‘Nihanda Mehewara’ (silent service), this year’s initiative sought to identify those among Brandix’s associates in Sri Lanka, who through their efforts and expense have helped others in their communities, more..

Apr 15 (FT) The WHO-UN internal report in December 2013 identifies Sri Lanka as the highest per hectare user of pesticides and the eighth highest user of chemical fertilisers in the world. Once a paradise for lush greenery and vegetation, the soil under our feet has now critically deteriorated with the excessive dumping of chemical fertilisers and agro chemicals for the past 60 odd years. The situation is steadily aggravating as more and more chemical fertiliser is needed for more..

Apr 15 (LR) Toronto’s Mayor Rob Ford congratulated Sri Lanka on their first world cricket title in 18 years and said he always backs the underdog to win. The mayor made his remarks to Lanka Reporter during the official launch of the fourth annual CIBC Trophy – Mayor’s School Cricket Tournament presented by CIMA Canada. “I always cheer for the underdog; I think it’s great and want to congratulate Sri Lanka on their victory,” more..

Apr 15 (ENS) Following a high number of seizures of gold at airports across the country, smugglers are likely to take the sea route to smuggle in gold to the country. The Intelligence Bureau (IB) has given an alert to the police in coastal states of the country to enhance surveillance along the coastal belt so that smugglers would not bring gold with the assistance of fishermen in fishing boats. According to IB, there are possibilities of smuggling in gold from neighbouring countries like B'desh and SL more..

Apr 15 (KT) Sri Lanka's 29-year-old woman's cricketer Shashikala Siriwardene says decision to step down from the captaincy was a tough one. The Sri Lankjan all-rounder relinquished team captaincy last week. Speaking exclusively on Sunday morning over her mobile from Colombo, she said, "yes, it was a tough call but have no regrets. I am happy to end like this. My family members, cricket board officials and friends have supported my decision. I got lot of support from them". more..

Apr 15 (AT) Saudi Arabia will punish people who employ foreigners illegally or break the terms of their visas, in an effort to encourage local employment. Punishment ranging from fines and jail terms to confiscation of assets and deportation may be imposed, escalating a year-long crackdown on visa irregularities that have been overlooked for decades. Interior Ministry decision was carried on the official Saudi Press Agency on Monday. more..

Apr 15 (ST) Due to the high cost of living with often price increases of goods and high taxes, it has been an ongoing struggle to maintain household expenses. The spiralling costs of electricity and gas are unbearable. Sri Lankans are now looking for cheaper alternatives to costly electricity and fuel use. Tenison Perera, owner of Asiri Hotel, Tudella, Ja-Ela, using a simple but unique technology, has invented a cooker using coconut shells or coconut shell charcoal. more..

Apr 15 (FT) The 13th Amendment Article 154C says: “Executive power extending to the matters with respect to which a Provincial Council has power to make statutes shall be exercised by the Governor of the Province for which that Provincial Council is established, either directly or through Ministers of the Board of Ministers, or through officers subordinate to him, in accordance with Article 154F.” So the provision was for the Governor to exercise his Executive powers on the advice of more..

Apr 15 (Island) Walking along the corridors of the Jaffna Public Library (JPL) where a sense of culture and hallowed tradition permeates, an avid reader is tempted to tarry oblivious to the outside world. The re-modeled Children’s Section, with brightly coloured desks and chairs instantly transports one to a childhood marked by Ladybird Classics, Enid Blyton evergreens, Children’s Encyclopedia and much more with that more..

Apr 15 (TP) The recently passed UNHRC resolution on Sri Lanka marks a high point in terms of the country’s road towards peace. The US backed UNHRC resolution paves the way for an international investigation into the war crimes allegedly committed by the Sri Lankan govt during the final military battles of the war. According to the Office for the Commissioner for Human Rights, the resolution asks that Sri Lanka “conduct an independent investigation into allegations of more..

Apr 15 (NS) Just when the UNHRC had finished flexing its muscles by adopting a United States initiated resolution against Sri Lanka demanding an international inquiry, Colombo responded this week by saying that it would not co-operate with any such investigation. External Affairs Minister G.L. Peiris enunciated this position giving several reasons: Firstly it would be biased as it would be led by the office headed by Navanethem Pillay whose allegiances on this issue are well known. more..

Apr 15 (FT) SriLankan Airlines CEO Kapila Chandrasena is confident and optimistic of the national carrier’s route to profitability in the medium term, having put in place a host of key measures – including fuel efficient re-fleeting as well as revenue optimisation. Seeds for a turnaround were placed two years ago as part of a five-year revival plan. With three more years to go, Chandrasena expressed confidence that more..

Apr 15 (SL) High up in an old bungalow, accessible only by a winding road, Kandy residents were awaiting the arrival of their daughters’ Prince Charming, the Avurudhu Kumaraya. This Prince Charming is certainly no fairy tale. In most neighbouring abodes there were the ‘gottas’ weaved out from young coconut leaves (gok kola) with a lit oil lamp – a pahana placed in it, welcoming the prince. Astrologers and astro-sociologists will claim that this prince is symbolic of the sun. more..

Apr 15 (FT) Another Avurudu is round the corner. Holidays give us time to refresh, reflect and renew. As Sinhalese and Tamils unite in enjoying the festive times together, it radiates the symbol of national unity. Today’s column on Humane Results is a relaxed reflection on the need to collectively awaken towards prosperity through productivity. Goodwill, happiness and joy fill the air and the hearts of people of Sinhala and Tamil homes during the New Year. more..

Apr 15 (Island) Playing a World Cup and if possible being a part of a winning team is every player’s dream. Those left out for the finals naturally feel disappointed especially if the individual had been involved in the semi-final. For Rangana Herath it happened not once but twice. Sri Lankans obsession with players with unusual styles – whether bowlers or batsmen is not anything new. There is a belief among the cricketing more..

Apr 15 (NS) 18 years ago, I watched a portly left-handed genius deftly guide a ball past the vacant slips to the boundary. The “little Sri Lankans”, to use the words of the late Tony Grieg, had done the impossible and beaten the mighty Australians to win the Cricket World Cup. The words little and Sri Lankan were never to be used in the same sentence again! On Sunday, yet another left-hander, this one best described as “one big unit”, literally belted the leather out of the ball and hit it straight more..

Apr 15 (FT) “I have been to England so many times! But that is no consideration when it comes to visa formalities at the embassy. The number of questions they ask you is unbelievable! How much money do you earn, how much do you spend in a month? You have to answer all kinds of trick questions and then await a password to proceed to the next stage. My computer knowledge is only basic. After all I am only a housewife! This process is so taxing and so appalling!” Elderly lady was indignant. more..

Apr 15 (SO) Steps have been taken to improve the standards of the Institute of Indigenous Medicine (IIM), University of Colombo to the level of an International University and the employability of graduates, Acting Director, IIM, Dr. M.W.S.J Kumari said. The need to protect and develop the indigenous medical system has become vital. The IIM has taken many steps to achieve this goal. more..

Apr 15 (CT) A King, with none to censure him, bereft of Ministers who can rebuke him, will perish even though there be no one to destroy him. This is a quote from Thirukkural written in the form of couplets (two line poems) is an ethical treatise espousing various aspects of life. It is considered as the magnum opus of Tamil literature and culture with the highest and purest expressions of human thought. Thirukkural has three major parts. The first part (38 chapters) deals more..

Apr 15 (CT) Laksiri feigns surprise that I sought to place Kumar David and him in the same category and rebut them in the same polemic. The reason should be obvious: they both defend Chief Minister Wigneswaran’s claim of Tamil nationhood and make the same claim themselves with some modifications. I reject it. Let me put it as bluntly as I can. There is no Tamil nation in Sri Lanka, but there is a Tamil minority in Sri Lanka. There is however a Sinhala nation in Sri Lanka. more..

Apr 14 (DM) British Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office Hugo Swire today said that his country has real concern in Sri Lanka. “Let us take values first. The Commonwealth Charter, agreed in 2012, is historic: the first ever declaration of our common values in a single document. But, frankly, implementation is patchy. We have real concerns in Sri Lanka, the Commonwealth’s Chair in Office, where more..

Apr 14 (SE) The representative for Washington and Sunderland West was due to travel to the country on an all-costs-covered visit, supported by Foundation of Goodness, founded by cricketer Muttiah Muralitharan. Bowler is an ethnic Tamil and has come under fire for his support of the SL Govt, which last week said it would refuse to co-operate with a UN inquiry into alleged war crimes and continued human rights abuse. more..

Apr 14 (AD) The mother of slain LTTE suspect Kajeepan Ponniah Selvanayagam alias Gopi, who was killed in a confrontation with army soldiers in Nedunkerny, has been released on bail after being produced before a court in Colombo. She was arrested by the Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) in Killinochchi several days back. Several suspects including Gopi’s mother were produced before the court more..

Apr 14 (CI) In recent articles I looked at the first great batsman from India and Pakistan. After watching Sri Lanka's meritorious victory in the World T20 recently, I was motivated to continue this wander through the history of some of my favourite cricket-playing countries and move on to consider who was Sri Lanka's first great with the blade. As I have noted previously, one of the difficulties in such an endeavour is trying to more..

Apr 14 (AAP) A Tamil man who doused himself with petrol and set himself alight after being refused settlement in Australia is showing signs of recovery. But he faces a long stint in hospital before his expected deportation. The man, in his 20s, suffered burns to 70% of his body when he set himself alight near a shipyard in the inner west Sydney suburb of Balmain on the night of April 9. Man, whose first name is Janarthanan, more..

Apr 14 (SL) The Bodu Bala Sena was at it again! This time they stormed a press conference and verbally abused a monk and a Muslim cleric over a resettlement issue and all this in front of the police officers who stood there doing nothing. The press briefing was organized by the Jathika Bala Sena to inform what they said over the alleged resettlement of Muslims in the Wilpattu National Park were misgivings. more..

Apr 14 (LBO) Sri Lanka's central bank has sounded a note of caution of caution and over the rising burden of renewable power on consumers as the proportion of non-conventional renewable power (NCRE) increases in the grid. Sources such as large conventional hydro plants have always been cheap and are widely used the world over without any political propaganda or tax payer money to subsidize them. more..

Apr 14 (ST) Academics who violated their bonds and agreements by remaining abroad after their study leave expires will be given a pardon, a new circular issued by the UGC said. According to the circular any academic who had not resumed duties after their study leave is over will not be disqualified from taking up new positions in any Govt higher education institutions under the purview of the UGC. more..

Apr 14 (Xinhua) Sri Lanka still needs to focus on reconciliation and development, President Mahinda Rajapaksa stressed in his statement for the Sinhala and Tamil New Year on Monday, insisting that more needs to be done five years after the end of a three-decade war. Rajapaksa released his message to mark the Sinhala and Tamil New Year that falls on Monday. This is the only cultural festival jointly enjoyed by both communities. more..

Apr 14 (Xinhua) Fire crackers boomed on Monday morning announcing the start of the Sinhala and Tamil New Year, a unique time that brings together the deeply divided main communities of Sri Lanka together in celebration. Many know Sri Lanka as the land that had a three decade civil war, which ended in 2009 and is making tenuous steps towards reconciliation. But what is unique is that the majority Sinhalese people more..

Apr 14 (CT) I had a difficulty in understanding why Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka lumped Kumar David and me together and called ‘Trotskyists’ in his tortuous reply (“Minority Report: Sri Lanka’s Tamil Question,” Colombo Telegraph, 13 April) because we were never in one political party although the respective organizations we belonged were called ‘Trotskyists.’ On my part it was before 1982 as Dayan fully well know. It is not a good academic practice to label people to create prejudices. more..

Apr 14 (CT) Intervening in the debate on Tamil nationhood and self-determination Prof Kumar David accuses me of abandoning my youthful Leninism (‘Wiggie vs. Dayan and Self Determination as a 21–C Concept’, Kumar David, Colombo Telegraph, April 13th). I debated Prof Kumar David on the same question exactly three and a half decades ago in the Lanka Guardian. I was twenty two. In the latter half of my fifties I am far too old, and the Sri Lankan crisis has gone on for far too long, more..

Apr 14 (CG) Transnational Govt of Tamil Eelam (TGTE), one of the groups listed by the Govt recently as a terrorist outfit, is to hold a conference in Britain on May 18, the TGTE said in a statement. Led by V. Rudrakumaran, the TGTE says it will intensify it’s campaign to realize Tamils’ political aspirations through peaceful, diplomatic and democratic means. “In order to create a measurable impact on the economic base of the SL more..