May 30 (Island) Kalana Senaratne, in an article titled ‘Will there be peace before death?’ published in www.groundviews.org, begins an interesting essay on the 13th Amendment with the obvious preamble that the end of a war is followed by the resurfacing of problems that could not be resolved through the use of force. He offers that the answer to political problems rests in our own attitudes and perceptions, and in our ability to compromise. more..

May 30 (DT) The Indian cricket board pressured Sri Lanka to join its oppostion to the nomination of former Australian Prime Minister John Howard as ICC vice-president. "The Indian cricket board had threatened to cut off its ties with Sri Lanka if no support is extended to oppose John Howard", a well-placed source in London told The Daily Telegraph. Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka, South Africa and India are opposed to Howard's appointment, more..

May 30 (NS) Although Governments of India and Sri Lanka have shown keen interest in expediting their mutual trade pact, the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) is likely to get delayed after local business leaders have expressed grave concerns over its impact on Sri Lankan economy. Chairman of Mawbima Lanka Foundation, Ariyaseela Wickramanayake said that President Mahinda Rajapaksa had assured the business community that more..

May 30 (Island) While parliament has been accused of wasting food in its subsidized restaurants, successive Sri Lankan governments continue to depend on World Food Program (WFP) to feed the poor segments of the population and the war displaced. Although the country has been upgraded from a developing to a middle income nation and both politicians and officials are discussing grandiose plans to develop the country, more..

May 30 (ST) The presence of a hitherto unidentified stinging ant has caused fear in Matara town with several victims taking medical treatment. The large reddish or brown ants have stung several people causing pain and swelling. Matara General Hospital Director Dr. Savindi Samarakoon said a number of victims had been given tetanus injections and pain killers after being stung by these ants. more..

May 30 (IANS) Ace Sri Lankan cricketers Kumar Sangakkara and Sanath Jayasuriya believe that IIFA Awards 2010, to be held in Colombo, is a “big opportunity” to promote Sri Lanka in Bollywood and foster a better relationship between the two countries. “It’s a big opportunity to promote Sri Lanka among the film fraternity here. Sri Lankans are very big fans of Bollywood and the film industry is very popular in Sri Lanka,” more..

May 30 (ST) The proposed Senate will include all Provincial Governors, five members each from Provincial councils (Palath Sabha), according to constitutional changes now being formulated. The Chairman of the Senate, according to these plans, will be selected from among the Governors of provinces. Government sources said yesterday that former Speaker, W.J.M. Lokubandara, would be the first Chaiman. more..

May 30 (ST) India has sought clearance from Sri Lanka to open two Deputy High Commission offices, one in Jaffna and another in Hambantota, in a sudden decision to upgrade its previous request for only the opening of a consulate in Jaffna. The request has been the subject of a diplomatic dialogue between Colombo and New Delhi. External Affairs Ministry sources say the matter is to figure at talks in New Delhi more..

May 30 (ST) Parliamentarians will not be allowed entirely tax-free vehicles, the Cabinet decided. Those entitled to the import of such vehicles will be required to pay around 10 to 20 percent of the cost of the vehicle as taxes. When the subject was taken up for discussion, Minister Basil Rajapaksa pointed out that the UNP’s John Ameratunga called for the payment of a nominal duty. more..

May 31 (LG) Thank goodness, Sri Lanka should feel ‘so’ relived. She got the biggest media victory so far since 18 May 2009, without paying a ‘red cent’ to an image building advertising firm like, Saatchi & Saatchi. As I have been telling for quite some time that future ‘Drealam’ wars will not be fought in our life time with guns and tanks on the banks of Nandikadal or in the mangroves of Mulliavaikal but more..

May 31 (GV) I was inspired by the above words of Chimamanda Adichie talking about the ¨Danger of a single story’ and I reflected on how true this has been and will be in the case of Sri Lanka and its instrasigient history of political misfortune and human suffering. It’s been a year since the decisive end of the military offensive that had succeeded in re-claiming territorial sovereignity of the Sri Lankan state, but more..

May 31 (CI) What stood out was the ease with which India overhauled Sri Lanka's 242, with nearly seven overs to spare. Virat Kohli played a mature hand and Rohit Sharma overcame moments of impetuousness to hit a delightful hundred, his second successive effort of the tournament, as the pair sparkled in a 154-run partnership to charge India to a facile win. more..

May 31 (CI) Tillakaratne Dilshan, the Sri Lanka captain, has rued the loss of wickets at crucial times and some avoidable dismissals during his team's innings which led to a seven-wicket defeat at the hands of India in Bulawayo. Sri Lanka were bowled out for 242, and India made short work of the target, courtesy a second successive ton from Rohit Sharma and his 154-run stand with Virat Kohli. more..

May 31 (SL) The Communist Party (CP), Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP) and New Left Front (NLF) are to meet for a discussion on the proposed constitutional amendments by the government and to decide on a separate set of proposals. Minister D.E.W. Gunasekera told The Sunday Leader that the leftist parties in the governing UPFA wanted the Executive Presidency abolished and did not want an extension of the terms of office held by the current President. more..

May 31 (DM) Film Producer and Director Chandran Ratnam was arrested by the police for allegedly possessing explosive materials in his residence, Police Spokesperson SP Preshantha Jayakody told Daily Mirror online. Ratnam produced the film ‘Road to Elephant Pass’ which focused on the war in Sri Lanka and also worked with Hollywood producer Steven Spielberg in the movie Indiana Jones Temple of Doom. more..

May 31 (DM) Like the proverbial new broom sweeping clean, some ministers and deputy ministers who have begun their work seem to be engaged in a vigorous sprucing up and pepping up of the institutions under their ministries. They are visiting these institutions and departments - invariably with TV cameras focused on them and officials in attendance and after such visits they make various observations about more..

May 31 (SL) Much has been written during recent times over a supposedly controversial road or roads within the Wilpattu National Park but the circumstances for such roads to come into being have not been talked about. The original road through Wilpattu has been a cart track since time immemorial and was later classified as a jeep track and termed the Old Mannar Road and was given the road prefix of B379 during the days gone by. more..

May 31 (SL) The Govt maintains that there is no threat of the LTTE raising its head again and that the Indian government’s decision to extend the ban on the terrorist organisation for a further two years is a precautionary measure. Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said that the Indian government’s decision is a precautionary measure following reports of various actions and protests by certain sections in the country “ more..

May 31 (SL) Whatever the long term objectives of the reform proposals that have been adopted by the UNP Working Committee may be, the immediate target of them seems to be removing the party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe from that powerful post. Although it is said that the UNP Working Committee has passed these reform proposals in order to elect all main posts in the party hierarchy, the purpose of it is nothing other than replacing incumbent leader with somebody else. more..

May 31 (NS) Many people thought that an end to the crisis plaguing the UNP was in sight when the party reforms committee headed by Joseph Michael Perera submitted its much awaited report to the party’s Working Committee and the Parliamentary group recently. The committee had recommended that the party Leader, Deputy Leader, National Organiser and Assistant Secretary be elected by the party membership by secret ballot, and more..

May 31 (CT) President Mahinda Rajapaksa has ruled out giving police powers to the provinces. He was giving an interview to 'Times of India' today. Mr. Rajapaksa has said, "Look what happened during the Mumbai attacks, when it took so much time to get the commandos, because all kinds of clearances were required." "That is why I feel that police powers on the island should be centralized," he has said. more..

May 31 (TC) On May 17, 2009 the LTTE, the major Tamil resistance movement, admitted defeat in the war that was waged without any witnesses and vowed to silence guns against the Sinhala-Buddhist state. On May 18, Sri Lanka security forces announced that the LTTE Chief Velupillai Prabhakaran, was killed by Sri Lanka’s military in a firefight that signaled the effective end to one of Asia’s longest-running military conflicts. more..

May 31 (TC) Hillary Clinton, the Secretary of State of the United States of America, according to published reports, gave her blessings to the farcical commission on lessons learned and reconciliation at her recent meeting with minister G L Peiris. Hillary Clinton’s speech has been given high publicity and it could be of immense value as propaganda to the government whose human rights record has been challenged both locally and internationally. more..

May 31 (Xinhua) Colombo is under a threat of Dengue epidemic following the recent premonsoonal rains, CMC warned. Pradeep Kariyawasan, chief medical officer of the CMC told reporters that there is a possibility of spreading dengue fever as the torrential rains have temporarily stopped. "For several years we have monitored an increase of dengue cases within the city limits after massive rains more..

May 31 (TC) It is wholly unthinkable for a Head of State of a sovereign state to take any draft of proposals [whether the first or the last] for constitutional reform to a prime minister of a foreign country for his approval! Yet, the Asian Tribune reports that President Mahinda Rajapaksa proposes to take the first draft of the Proposals for Constitutional Reform to the Prime Minister of a foreign country – namely India. more..

May 31 (Hindu) The Viduthalai Vengaigal, a fishermen's outfit, has urged the Union and State governments to sanction a compensation of Rs. 5 lakh each to the families of over 500 Tamil Nadu fishermen who were killed by the Sri Lankan Navy and also government jobs for their wards. A resolution was adopted at the birth anniversary celebration of Singaravelar, a social reformist, here recently. more..

May 31 (TN) Sri Lanka Army (SLA) forces that occupy Vanni after the recent war have put up new name boards in Sinhala language only with new Sinhala names for many road junctions and streets in Mullaiththeevu district. SLA, besides erecting special camps and High Security Zones in strategic places in Mullaiththeevu, is engaged in changing the entire district like any other typical Sinhalese area in the country, more..

May 31 (DM) It would certainly be quite a task for anybody to count the number of dansals that have sprung up in the country during this Vesak season. Such has been the enthusiasm by Buddhists and non-Buddhists to treat the rest of the countrymen with refreshments, rice and goodies. It is as if the inherent generosity of the Sri Lankans which was contained for twenty seven years due to security reasons has finally found an outlet as the haves and the have-nots all contributed to more..

May 31 (LP) A special ceremony to mark World’s Anti Smoking Day will be held on the 31st of May 2010 at 04.00pm at the Auditorium of the National Blood Centre in Narahenpita. This National event will be held under the auspicious of the Minister of Health Maithreepala Sirisena and Secretary to the Ministry Dr Ravindra Ruberoo and other officials. more..

May 31 (TN) The plastic bags containing six corpses found dumped in a toilet pit of a house in Kaneasapuram in Ki’linochchi are to be dug out Monday in the presence of the Judicial Medical Officer (JMO) from Vavuniyaa Government Hospital, on the directive of Ki’linochchi magistrate who visited the site. Members of the family resettled in the said house in February had located Saturday dead bodies of massacred victims, buried inside their toilet pit. more..

May 31 (MoD) The coastal areas of the Ampara District celebrated Vesak on a grand scale after a lapse of three decades in a free and fair manner with the participation of Muslims, Tamils and Christians in the area. There was a hive of activity with a series of events in Akkaraipattu Army Camp which drew a large gathering of Tamils, Muslims and Christians. They helped the Army Personnel in organising the events. more..

May 31 (TN) The leader of EPDP Douglas Devananda, a cabinet minister in the ruling UPFA, who continues to publicly accuse the three Tamil dailies published in Jaffna of having denied him and his party equal opportunity and sufficient cooperation during the last parliamentary elections, is actively engaged in launching a new Tamil daily in Jaffna, sources in Jaffna said. more..

May 31 (LeN) It is reported that the Wesak celebrations by the Govt. security Forces in the Tamil and Muslim villages in the East has caused suspicion and fear among the villagers. During the period of the war, the Forces adorned their camps with Wesak lanterns and was a normal feature, but, this year, in Wakkarai, Periyaneelawanai, Chenkaladi, Ottamaodi and Eravur where only Tamils and Muslims reside, Wesak celebrations have been forced upon them. more..

May 31 (LT) On a proposal by JVP Member for Uva PC Wimal Balagalle the ‘Sorabora Tam Inscription’ that has been away from its original location for more than 150 years will be installed at a place near ‘Sorabora Wewa, its original position. ‘Sorabora Wewa’ near historical Mahiyangana Rajamaha Viharaya is a very significant tank. During the period Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) was ruled by the British this ‘Sorabora Tam (pillar) inscription’ was more..

May 31 (ST) When celebrities arrive next week for the high-profile International Indian Film Academy Awards (IIFA) weekend in Colombo, among them will be the world’s fourth richest man. Mukesh Ambani, 53 years and chairman and managing director of India’s giant Reliance Industries, has confirmed his participation with the highpoint of his 24-hour visit being a meeting with President Mahinda Rajapaksa to discuss investment options, more..

May 31 (LNP) The beleaguered UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, in a two-part interview with this newspaper on Friday and Saturday, put his finger on something that ails the political party system in this country the influence of moneybags. The problem now is, he said, 'that big money can take over political parties.' The UNP leader, by virtue of being at the helm of the Grand Old Party, which is identified with big businesses, is au fait with what goes on in politics and, more..

May 31 (LT) He would immediately resign from the post of President of the Select Committee of Sri Lanka Cricket if there is undue interference in the affairs of the committee says Aravinda Silva. He said this addressing the media for the first time after his new appointment. He said undue interference in selections and other affairs has escalated during the past. more..

May 31 (DN) Two Indian designers and two Sri Lankan designers will showcase their creations at the IIFA Fashion show at the BMICH on June 3, Colombo Fashion Week Founder and Director Ajai Singh who is also in charge of the IIFA Fashion show said. The glamorous event begins the Videocon IIFA Weekend at the BMICH. Designs by top Indian designers Manish Malhotra and Vikram Phadnis will more..

May 31 (CT) Several new governing party parliamentarians have been assigned to coordinate various key sectors along with the relevant ministries in the Northern development programme. The Northern development programme is headed by Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa and the newly elected MPs are to be led in this co-ordination programme by UPFA parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa. more..

May 31 (Island) Over one year after the defeat of LTTE terrorism, 675 commandos, including 20 officers have joined the elite fighting regiment, which played a pivotal role in the bloody ground offensive. They were among 1,000 personnel, who had joined the Uva-Kuda Oya Commando Training School during the eelam war IV, but by the time they received the coveted maroon beret, the LTTE was history. more..

May 31 (NF) The Department of Archaeology has decided to carry out a special dig to ascertain the contribution made by Sri Lanka towards the evolution of modern man. “This excavation will be carried out in close proximity to the Pahiyangala Cave,” said Dr. Nimal Perera, Deputy Commissioner of Archaeology. Under this programme, four layers of earth, identified during excavations in 1986, will be reanalyzed. more..

May 31 (ST) Fonseka at Florida cricket: The first ever Twenty20 cricket match in the United States between test playing nations was played on May 22 and 23 in Florida -- Sri Lanka Vs. New Zealand. Sri Lankans used the opportunity to convey a message to President Mahinda Rajapaksa. An aircraft carrying a banner said: "SRI LANKA FREE GEN. FONSEKA & RESTORE DEMOCRACY". The Cabinet at its weekly meeting on Wednesday had a knotty issue to discuss more..

May 31 (Island) With the conclusion of the war, the Army has sharply scaled down recruitment to fighting elements, though thousands will have to be taken in to maintain the existing strength of over 200,000 officers and men. Responding to a query by The Island, Military Spokesman Maj. Gen. Prasad Samarasinghe said that the recruitment in the post-LTTE era would have to be more than the pre-2006 period. more..

May 31 (DN) Generating self employment avenues would be a prominent feature in the Governments future economic thrust, Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa said while handing over new shops to over 300 pavement hawkers, who were earlier evicted from the streets of Pettah. The shops located down Bodhiraja Mawatha in Pettah were handed over to the traders by the Minister on Saturday. more..

May 31 (DN) Five Acts are to be introduced to preserve Buddhism and the Maha Sangha for the future generation, Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne said. He said a preliminary proposal was presented to Cabinet during its last deliberations. According to the Prime Minister, the proposals include the creation of a Sangha Sabha comprising leading Buddhist monks to advise the Government on matters related to Buddhism. more..

May 31 (CT) The Engineering faculty and NDT section of Moratuwa University has been closed indefinitely following a clash between two student groups late last night. Police say that three students were admitted to the Lunawa and Kalubowila Hospitals following the clash which broke out around 11.00 pm during a Vesak lantern exhibition organized by the University. more..

May 31 (DM) UNP Gampaha MP, Dr. Jayalath Jayewardene yesterday alleged that there were large scale malpractices going on in the distribution of relief to the flood victims in the Gampaha District. He charged that all relief was being distributed by the UPFA organizers and members of the local bodies including municipal council and pradeshiya sabha. He said these members were distributing the relief material contributed by the relief organizations more..

May 31 (DN) Authorities are planning to set up several wildlife parks, forest and bird sanctuaries in the Northern part of the country. Nayaru, Kokilai, Chundikulam and Madu Road have been identified as viable locations for such ventures, Economic Development Ministry Director General Dr. Chandrawansa Pathiraja said. He said Minister Basil Rajapaksa had instructed to develop identified areas at the earliest possible time following a feasibility study to more..